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Pomkai N, Katewongsa P, Chamratrithirong A, Tharawan K, Sakulsri T, Samutachak B, Widyastari DA, Rasri N, Wijarn B, Wongsawat Y. Digital Group-Based Intervention for Physical Activity Promotion Among Thai Adults During the COVID-19 Lockdown: Randomized Controlled Trial. J Med Internet Res 2024; 26:e43366. [PMID: 38294853 PMCID: PMC10867743 DOI: 10.2196/43366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2022] [Revised: 05/17/2023] [Accepted: 11/24/2023] [Indexed: 02/01/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The COVID-19 pandemic significantly diminished the physical activity (PA) level of Thai adults belonging to Generation Y (Gen Y). As a response to the global crisis, many individuals worldwide have turned to social community platforms, recognizing their potential in promoting PA during the pandemic. Gen Y, in particular, demonstrates exceptional proficiency in using social media platforms, showcasing a remarkable aptitude for swiftly accessing new information and knowledge. However, their proclivity for reckless behavior exposes them to various health risks, potentially leading to enduring adverse health consequences. Consequently, there arises a pressing need to develop a comprehensive model aimed at elevating the PA levels among individuals belonging to Gen Y. OBJECTIVE This research aimed to examine the effectiveness of a digital group-based activity in promoting PA among Gen Y in Thailand. METHODS This was a parallel 2-arm randomized controlled trial with single-blind allocation to experimental and control groups and pre- and posttest measurements. Measurements were administered on the web and were designed for respondents to complete by themselves. The sample comprised 100 Gen Y individuals who met the inclusion criteria. Both groups were matched for background characteristics. The two 8-week intervention activities were (1) two weeks of education and (2) six weeks of motivation by target groups that set goals for PA together (using the Zoom meeting application), with a time limit and group consensus as to when the goal was to be achieved. The intervention activities were implemented one by one at specified intervals and delivered daily through health apps and the official LINE account. RESULTS The intervention starts from August 22 to October 16, 2021. Of the 100 participants, 20 (20%) left the study, and the remaining 80 (80%) participated in the study (40 individuals each in the experimental and control groups). After participating in the experiment, a statistically significant difference in PA was found between the 2 groups (moderate to vigorous PA; 25/40, 63%; P=.03). Participants in the intervention group collected a higher cumulative minute of moderate to vigorous PA weekly (283 minutes) than those in the control group (164 minutes), and this was statistically significant (P=.03). For the transition to the fourth stage of behavior (ie, action), the improvement in the experimental group, after participating in the trial, was statistically significant compared to that of the control group (P=.01). CONCLUSIONS Digital group-based activity showed its effectiveness in improving the PA of Gen Y individuals in the intervention group. It created a process-based intervention activity that corresponds to the stages of behavior changes, from contemplation to action. The digital community can also connect individuals to comparable groups locally and globally. TRIAL REGISTRATION Thai Clinical Trials Registry TCTR20211101005; https://www.thaiclinicaltrials.org/show/TCTR20211101005.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nanthawan Pomkai
- Institute for Population and Social Research, Mahidol University, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand
| | - Piyawat Katewongsa
- Institute for Population and Social Research, Mahidol University, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand
| | | | - Kanokwan Tharawan
- Institute for Population and Social Research, Mahidol University, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand
| | - Teeranong Sakulsri
- Institute for Population and Social Research, Mahidol University, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand
| | - Bhubate Samutachak
- Institute for Population and Social Research, Mahidol University, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand
| | | | | | | | - Yodchanan Wongsawat
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Mahidol University, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand
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de Buisonjé DR, Reijnders T, Cohen Rodrigues TR, Santhanam P, Kowatsch T, Breeman LD, Janssen VR, Kraaijenhagen RA, Kemps HMC, Evers AWM. Less stick more carrot? Increasing the uptake of deposit contract financial incentives for physical activity: A randomized controlled trial. PSYCHOLOGY OF SPORT AND EXERCISE 2024; 70:102532. [PMID: 37678644 DOI: 10.1016/j.psychsport.2023.102532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2022] [Revised: 06/05/2023] [Accepted: 09/04/2023] [Indexed: 09/09/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Financial incentives are a promising tool to help people increase their physical activity, but they are expensive to provide. Deposit contracts are a type of financial incentive in which participants pledge their own money. However, low uptake is a crucial obstacle to the large-scale implementation of deposit contracts. Therefore, we investigated whether (1) matching the deposit 1:1 (doubling what is deposited) and (2) allowing for customizable deposit amounts increased the uptake and short term effectiveness of a deposit contract for physical activity. METHODS In this randomized controlled trial, 137 healthy students (age M = 21.6 years) downloaded a smartphone app that provided them with a tailored step goal and then randomized them to one of four experimental conditions. The deposit contract required either a €10 fixed deposit or a customizable deposit with any amount between €1 and €20 upfront. Furthermore, the deposit was either not matched or 1:1 matched (doubled) with a reward provided by the experiment. During 20 intervention days, daily feedback on goal progress and incentive earnings was provided by the app. We investigated effects on the uptake (measured as agreeing to participate and paying the deposit) and effectiveness of behavioral adoption (measured as participant days goal achieved). FINDINGS Overall, the uptake of deposit contracts was 83.2%, and participants (n = 113) achieved 14.9 out of 20 daily step goals. A binary logistic regression showed that uptake odds were 4.08 times higher when a deposit was matched (p = .010) compared to when it was not matched. Furthermore, uptake odds were 3.53 times higher when a deposit was customizable (p = .022) compared to when it was fixed. Two-way ANCOVA showed that matching (p = .752) and customization (p = .143) did not impact intervention effectiveness. However, we did find a marginally significant interaction effect of deposit matching X deposit customization (p = .063, ηp2 = 0.032). Customization decreased effectiveness when deposits were not matched (p = .033, ηp2 = 0.089), but had no effect when deposits were matched (p = .776, ηp2 = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS We provide the first experimental evidence that both matching and customization increase the uptake of a deposit contract for physical activity. We recommend considering both matching and customization to overcome lack of uptake, with a preference for customization since matching a deposit imposes significant additional costs. However, since we found indications that customizable deposits might reduce effectiveness (when the deposits are not matched), we urge for more research on the effectiveness of customizable deposit contracts. Finally, future research should investigate which participant characteristics are predictive of deposit contract uptake and effectiveness. PRE-REGISTRATION OSF Registries, https://osf.io/cgq48.
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Affiliation(s)
- David R de Buisonjé
- Health, Medical and Neuropsychology Unit, Institute of Psychology, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands.
| | - Thomas Reijnders
- Health, Medical and Neuropsychology Unit, Institute of Psychology, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands; Department of Human-Centered Design, Faculty of Industrial Design Engineering, TU Delft, Delft, the Netherlands
| | - Talia R Cohen Rodrigues
- Health, Medical and Neuropsychology Unit, Institute of Psychology, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Prabhakaran Santhanam
- Centre for Digital Health Interventions, Department of Management, Technology, and Economics, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Tobias Kowatsch
- Centre for Digital Health Interventions, Department of Management, Technology, and Economics, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland; Institute for Implementation Science in Health Care, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland; School of Medicine, University of St.Gallen, St.Gallen, Switzerland
| | - Linda D Breeman
- Health, Medical and Neuropsychology Unit, Institute of Psychology, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Veronica R Janssen
- Health, Medical and Neuropsychology Unit, Institute of Psychology, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands; Department of Cardiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | | | - Hareld M C Kemps
- Department of Cardiology, Máxima Medical Center, Veldhoven, the Netherlands; Department of Industrial Design, Eindhoven University of Technology, the Netherlands
| | - Andrea W M Evers
- Health, Medical and Neuropsychology Unit, Institute of Psychology, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands; Leiden University, Technical University Delft, and Erasmus University, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
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de Buisonjé DR, Brosig F, Breeman LD, Bloom EL, Reijnders T, Janssen VR, Kraaijenhagen RA, Kemps HMC, Evers AWM. Put your money where your feet are: The real-world effects of StepBet gamified deposit contracts for physical activity. Internet Interv 2023; 31:100610. [PMID: 36873308 PMCID: PMC9982638 DOI: 10.1016/j.invent.2023.100610] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2022] [Revised: 02/14/2023] [Accepted: 02/20/2023] [Indexed: 02/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Gamification and deposit contracts (a financial incentive in which participants pledge their own money) can enhance effectiveness of mobile behavior change interventions. However, to assess their potential for improving population health, research should investigate implementation of gamified deposit contracts outside the research setting. Therefore, we analyzed data from StepBet, a smartphone application originally developed by WayBetter, Inc. Objective To perform a naturalistic evaluation of StepBet gamified deposit contracts, for whom they work best, and under which conditions they are most effective to help increase physical activity. Methods WayBetter provided data of StepBet participants that participated in a stepcount challenge between 2015 and 2020 (N = 72,974). StepBet challenges were offered on the StepBet smartphone application. The modal challenge consisted of a $40 deposit made prior to a 6-week challenge period during which participants needed to reach daily and weekly step goals in order to regain their deposit. Participants who met their goals also received additional earnings which were paid out from the money lost by those who failed their challenge. Challenge step goals were tailored on a 90-day historic step count retrieval that was also used as the baseline comparison for this study. Primary outcomes were increase in step count (continuous) and challenge success (dichotomous). Results Overall, average daily step counts increased by 31.2 % (2423 steps, SD = 3462) from 7774 steps (SD = 3112) at baseline to 10,197 steps (SD = 4162) during the challenge. The average challenge success rate was 73 %. Those who succeeded in their challenge (n = 53,281) increased their step count by 44.0 % (3465 steps, SD = 3013), while those who failed their challenge (n = 19,693) decreased their step count by -5.3 % (-398 steps, SD = 3013). Challenges started as a New Year's resolution were slightly more successful (77.7 %) than those started during the rest of the year (72.6 %). Discussion In a real-world setting, and among a large and diverse sample, participating in a gamified deposit contract challenge was associated with a large increase in step counts. A majority of challenges were successful and succeeding in a challenge was associated with a large and clinically relevant increase in step counts. Based on these findings, we recommend implementing gamified deposit contracts for physical activity where possible. An interesting avenue for future research is to explore possible setback effects among people who fail a challenge, and how setbacks can be mitigated. Pre-registration Open Science Framework (doi:10.17605/OSF.IO/D237C).
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Affiliation(s)
- David R de Buisonjé
- Health, Medical and Neuropsychology Unit, Institute of Psychology, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Fiona Brosig
- Health, Medical and Neuropsychology Unit, Institute of Psychology, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Linda D Breeman
- Health, Medical and Neuropsychology Unit, Institute of Psychology, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | | | - Thomas Reijnders
- Health, Medical and Neuropsychology Unit, Institute of Psychology, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands.,Department of Human-Centered Design, Faculty of Industrial Design Engineering, TU Delft, Delft, the Netherlands
| | - Veronica R Janssen
- Health, Medical and Neuropsychology Unit, Institute of Psychology, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands.,Department of Cardiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | | | - Hareld M C Kemps
- Department of Cardiology, Máxima Medical Center, Veldhoven, the Netherlands.,Department of Industrial Design, Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, the Netherlands
| | - Andrea W M Evers
- Health, Medical and Neuropsychology Unit, Institute of Psychology, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands.,Medical Delta, Leiden University, TU Delft, and Erasmus University, the Netherlands
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