Rise and Recharge: Effects on Activity Outcomes of an e-Health Smartphone Intervention to Reduce Office Workers' Sitting Time

Advantages and disadvantages of mobile applications for workplace health promotion: A scoping review

Different interventions and methods are used for workplace health promotion (WHP) programmes, including mobile applications (apps), which have proven effective among different health outcomes if properly communicated and developed. However, knowledge is lacking on the potential advantages and disadvantages of using this technology for WHP compared with nontechnical WHP programmes to support employers in their decision making and effective development of such an intervention. To obtain an overview of factors that decision-makers should consider when deciding whether to implement an WHP app, we conducted a scoping review of studies that have evaluated WHP apps. Potential advantages and disadvantages of using mobile apps for WHP were summarised using a strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) analysis. Articles were included if they focussed on a WHP app, were published between 2007 and 2022 in German or English, and evaluated an app for the general employee population. Altogether, 38 studies were included in the review, demonstrating WHP apps' effectiveness among various use cases in terms of content, e.g., mindfulness or sleep, and target groups, e.g., office workers, nurses or pilots. Strengths were found in the context of adoption, convenience for users, the targeted employee group's reach and cost-effectiveness. However, the review also identified some disadvantages in apps, including technical difficulties and usage barriers, as well as challenges, e.g., privacy issues and maintenance costs. Generally, our review found that different factors need to be considered when deciding whether to implement a WHP app based on the individual company situation, e.g., shift work, content to be communicated, and expectations for health parameter screening, among many others. By summarising recent literature on WHP apps, this review uses scientific knowledge to give employers an overview of potential factors to consider in their decision making.

Effects of Sedentary Behavior Interventions on Mental Well-Being and Work Performance While Working from Home during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial

Sedentary behavior negatively impacts mental health, which can decrease employee productivity. Employee mental well-being and work performance may improve with sedentary reduction interventions, especially strategies that include environmental workplace modifications and behavior-changing strategies. However, such interventions have not been examined among employees working remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic. As part of the Stand Up Kansas program, 95 sedentary university employees working from home were randomized into one of four intervention arms: height-adjustable desk provision (Desk Only), online sedentary behavior modification program (Program Only), Desk + Program, or Control. The outcomes were measured at a baseline (November 2020) and following the 12-week intervention (February 2021). Employees reported mood (positive and negative affect), stress, fatigue (duration, interference with activities and severity) and work performance (irritability, focus, work satisfaction, non-work satisfaction and productivity) were measured using established self-report instruments. The effect sizes, by comparing the Control arm to the Desk + Program arm, revealed large improvements in mood (positive affect, d = 1.106). Moderate improvements were also seen in fatigue (duration, d = −0.533, and interference with activities, d = −0.648) and several aspects of work performance (focus, d = 0.702, work satisfaction, d = 0.751, and productivity, d = 0.572). Moderate effect sizes were also seen for positive affect (d = 0.566) and fatigue severity (d = 0.577) among the Program Only arm, whereas no noteworthy effect sizes were observed among the Desk Only arm. Combining an online sedentary behavior modification program with height-adjustable desk provisions appeared to positively affect mental well-being and work performance among remote employees.

Evaluating a multi-component intervention to reduce and break up office workers' sitting with sit-stand desks using the APEASE criteria

Objective

Sedentary workplace interventions have had success in reducing excessive sitting time in office workers, but barriers to implementation and uptake remain. This study formally assessed a theory-derived, sit-stand desk intervention using the APEASE (Acceptability, Practicability, Effectiveness, Affordability, Side-effects, Equity) criteria.

Methods

Thirteen adults (eight female, mean age 38 ± 10 years) from the treatment arm of a sedentary behaviour intervention participated in semi-structured interviews. Thematic codes were inductively assigned to data items followed by deductive charting using the APEASE criteria.

Results

The intervention was highly acceptable, practicable, safe to deploy, and helped workers reduce workplace sitting time, though individual preferences and workload mediated engagement. Affordability of sit-stand desks and Equity of access were potential barriers to uptake.

Conclusions

Through the lens of the APEASE criteria, this theory-derived, multi-component sit-stand desk intervention showed acceptability, practicability and effectiveness in reducing and breaking up sedentary time at work with minimal side effects. Using this approach with further tailoring and personalisation may help workers achieve greater reductions in workplace sitting, though affordability and equity should be considered further.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12889-022-12794-w.

Reducing Occupational Sitting While Working From Home: Individual and Combined Effects of a Height-Adjustable Desk and an Online Behavioral Intervention

OBJECTIVE

This study examined the individual and combined effects of a height-adjustable desk and an online behavioral intervention on sedentary behavior and health among university employees working from home.

METHODS

Participants (N = 95) were randomly assigned to one of four conditions: Desk Only, Program Only, Desk + Program, or Control. Desk participants received a height-adjustable desk; program participants received a 12-week web-based intervention. Outcomes measured at baseline and post-intervention included workday sitting and cardiometabolic health outcomes.

RESULTS

Reductions in sitting were largest in the Desk + Program condition (-206 min/workday; d = 1.84), followed by the Desk Only condition (-122 min/workday; d = 0.98), and the Program Only condition (-96 min/workday; d = 1.13). There were no significant changes in the health outcomes assessed.

CONCLUSIONS

Both a height-adjustable desk and an online behavioral intervention effectively reduced occupational sitting, and a combined approach was most effective.

The Effects of UPcomplish on Office Workers' Sedentary Behaviour, Quality of Life and Psychosocial Determinants: A Stepped-Wedge Design

BACKGROUND

Sedentary behaviour (SB) affects cardiometabolic health and quality of life (QoL). We examine the effects of UPcomplish, a 12-week data-driven intervention, on SB, QoL and psychosocial determinants among office workers.

METHODS

Participants were recruited via judgement sampling. Five groups starting with time-lags of 7 weeks (n = 142, 96 females) received 14 feedback messages (FBMs) which were tailored to SB patterns, goals and hurdles. Participants received questionnaires at the beginning, middle and end of the intervention and wore an accelerometer measuring SB, operationalized as proportions (compositional data approach, CoDA) and summed squared sitting bouts (SSSB). We used linear mixed-effects models with random intercepts for weeks (between-subjects) and individuals (within-subjects).

RESULTS

UPcomplish did not reduce SB. Within-subjects compared to baseline, FBM #3 (βCoDA = 0.24, p < .001, 95% CI [0.15, 0.33]; βSSSB = 20.83, p < .001, 95% CI [13.90, 27.28]) and #4 (βCoDA = 0.20, p < .001, 95% CI [0.11, 0.29]; βSSSB = 24.80, p < .001, 95% CI [15.84, 33.76]) increased SB. QoL was unaffected. Perceived susceptibility was lower after FBMs #6 to #8 (βbetween = - 0.66, p = .04, 95% CI [- 1.03, - 0.30]; βwithin = - 0.75, p = .02, 95% CI [- 1.18, - 0.32]). Within-subjects, intentions to sit less were higher after FBMs #1 to #5 (1.14, p = .02, 95% CI [0.61, 1.66]). Improvements in determinants and in SB were not associated, nor were improvements in SB and in QoL.

CONCLUSIONS

Compared to VitaBit only, UPcomplish was not beneficial. Environmental restructuring might be superior, but detailed analyses of moderators of effectiveness are needed.

Rise and Recharge: Exploring Employee Perceptions of and Contextual Factors Influencing an Individual-Level E-Health Smartphone Intervention to Reduce Office Workers' Sedentary Time at Work

This feasibility study explored the contextual factors influencing office workers' adherence to an e-health intervention targeting total and prolonged sedentary time over 12 weeks. A three-arm quasi-randomized intervention included prompts at 30 or 60 min intervals delivered via a smartphone application, and a no-prompt comparison arm. Fifty-six office workers completed baseline (64% female) and 44 completed the 12 week follow-up (80% retention). Ecological momentary assessments (EMA) captured contextual data, with 82.8 ± 24.9 EMA prompt questionnaires completed weekly. Two focus groups with n = 8 Prompt 30 and 60 participants were conducted one-month post-intervention to address intervention acceptability and feasibility. Contextual findings indicate that when working on a sedentary task (i.e., reading or screen-based work) and located at an individual workstation, hourly prompts may be more acceptable and feasible for promoting a reduction in total and prolonged sedentary time compared to 30 min prompts. Interpersonal support also appears important for promoting subtle shifts in sedentary working practices. This novel study gives a real-time insight into the factors influencing adherence to e-health prompts. Findings identified unique, pragmatic considerations for delivering a workplace e-health intervention, indicating that further research is warranted to optimize the method of intervention delivery prior to evaluation of a large-scale intervention.