A Community-based Social Networking Intervention to Increase Walking in Dog Owners

Sedentary Clinical Trial

Official title:

A Community-based Social Networking Intervention to Increase Walking in Dog Owners

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Completed

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT01593449
• Other study ID #: NIH 5 UL1RR031982-02
• Status: Completed
• Phase: Phase 1
• First received: April 30, 2012
• Last updated: April 11, 2013
• Start date: January 2011
• Est. completion date: December 2012

Study information

• Verified date: April 2013
• Source: University of Massachusetts, Worcester
• Contact: n/a
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Health authority: United States: Institutional Review Board
• Study type: Interventional

Clinical Trial Summary

The present study aims to initially test a community dog walking intervention that addresses individual, interpersonal and community factors associated with dog walking. The study will be conducted in two cities, Worcester and Lowell, as a collaboration between investigators from UMass Medical School and UMass-Lowell.

Description:

This is a group randomized trial where 8 communities in Worcester and Lowell (4 per city) will be randomly assigned to the 6-month dog walking intervention or a standard, self-help, print-based physical activity control condition. Dog owners (N=120; 15 per community) will be recruited. The intervention includes a social networking website, monthly newsletters, twice monthly neighborhood dog walks and community events. The intervention will: 1) educate owners about the benefits of dog walking to themselves and their dog, 2) teach strategies for regular dog walking, 3) teach dog walking tips and provide dog training seminars, 4) promote self-monitoring and goal setting for dog walking, 5) provide social networking opportunities for dog owners and 6) promote a sense of community via participation in neighborhood dog walks and community events. Intervention feasibility will be assessed by measures of implementation success, including recruitment and retention rates, website use, intervention satisfaction and attendance at neighborhood walks and community events. Initial efficacy will be assessed via change in weekly steps measured via a pedometer from baseline to 6-months after baseline.

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Completed
• Enrollment: 107
• Est. completion date: December 2012
• Est. primary completion date: December 2012
• Accepts healthy volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers
• Gender: Both
• Age group: 21 Years and older

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

• Eligible participants will own a dog that is in good health and considered a household pet, be a Worcester or Lowell resident, be aged > 21 years old and have home internet access. Participants with cardiovascular disease, diabetes or other chronic health condition are eligible with permission from their PCP to participate.

Exclusion Criteria:

Participants will be excluded for any of the following:

1. Inability or unwillingness to give informed consent

2. Plans to move out of the area within the study period

3. Participated in a focus group during the developmental phase

4. Another household member is participating in the study

5. Pregnant or planning a pregnancy in the next six months

6. Condition that inhibits exercise (e.g., unable to walk unaided, or cannot walk 1/4 mile without stopping)

7. Incapable of engaging in physical activity as assessed by the Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire

8. Self-report engaging in > 150 minutes of moderate and vigorous intensity physical activity per week.

9. The participant's dog has a history of biting a human or has not received a rabies vaccination.

Study Design

Allocation: Randomized, Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment, Masking: Open Label, Primary Purpose: Prevention

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Sedentary

Intervention

Behavioral:
• Community-based social networking intervention
Participation in this study lasts for 7 months and includes a baseline visit, an orientation visit, the 6 month intervention, and a 6 month assessment visit.

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
United States	University of Massachusetts Lowell	Lowell	Massachusetts
United States	University of Massachusetts Medical Schol	Worcester	Massachusetts

Sponsors (2)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
University of Massachusetts, Worcester	University of Massachusetts, Lowell

Country where clinical trial is conducted

United States, 

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Primary	feasibility	Feasibility will be assessed by implementation success, including recruitment and retention rates, website use, intervention satisfaction and attendance at neighborhood walks and community events.	6 months	No
Secondary	Weekly steps	Pedometers that record 7-days of data will be used to measure steps at baseline and 6 months	baseline and 6 months	No
Secondary	weekly dog walking minutes	Self-reported minutes of dog walking measured using the DAPA tool.	baseline and 6 months	No
Secondary	social support for walking	Self-reported social support for walking	baseline and 6 months	No
Secondary	sense of community	self-reported sense of community	baseline and 6 months	No