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Social support for physical activity-role of Facebook with and without structured intervention.

ABSTRACT: Despite their widespread use and extensive technical features, little is known about how to use online social networking sites to increase physical activity. This study aims to examine Facebook engagement among participants in the online social networking arm of a randomized controlled physical activity promotion trial (n?=?67). Facebook communications were double coded and analyzed using ATLAS.ti. Regression procedures were used to determine predictors of Facebook use and associations between types of use and changes in perceived social support and physical activity. Changes in perceived social support and physical activity were more strongly associated with participants' individual Facebook use than use of the Facebook intervention group. The way social media sites are used in intervention design could have an impact on their effects. Including existing friends in interventions and using applications that incorporate intervention activities into a more naturalistic use of Facebook may improve the efficacy of future interventions.

SUBMITTER: Cavallo DN

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4286547 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Social support for physical activity-role of Facebook with and without structured intervention.

Cavallo David N DN Tate Deborah F DF Ward Dianne S DS DeVellis Robert F RF Thayer Linden M LM Ammerman Alice S AS

Translational behavioral medicine 20141201 4

Despite their widespread use and extensive technical features, little is known about how to use online social networking sites to increase physical activity. This study aims to examine Facebook engagement among participants in the online social networking arm of a randomized controlled physical activity promotion trial (n = 67). Facebook communications were double coded and analyzed using ATLAS.ti. Regression procedures were used to determine predictors of Facebook use and associations between t ...[more]

PMID: 25584083

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Project description:BACKGROUND:Presently, 6.5 million Americans are living with heart failure (HF). These patients are expected to follow a complex self-management regimen at home. Several demographic and psychosocial factors limit patients with HF in following the prescribed self-management recommendations at home. Poor self-care is associated with increased hospital re-admissions. Under the Affordable Care Act, there are financial implications related to hospital re-admissions for hospitals and programs such as the Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) in Pinellas County, Florida. Previous studies and systematic reviews demonstrated improvement in self-management and quality of life (QoL) in patients with HF with structured telephone support (STS) and short message service text messaging (SMS). OBJECTIVE:This study aimed to evaluate the effects of STS and SMS on self-care, knowledge, medication adherence, and QoL of patients with HF. METHODS:A prospective quality improvement project using a pre-post design was implemented. Data were collected at baseline, 30 days, and 3 months from 51 patients with HF who were enrolled in PACE in Pinellas County, Florida. All participants received STS and SMS for 30 days. The feasibility and sustained benefit of using STS and SMS was assessed at a 3-month follow-up. RESULTS:A paired t test was used to compare the mean difference in HF outcomes at the baseline and 30-day follow-up, which demonstrated improved HF self-care maintenance (t49=0.66; P=.01), HF knowledge (t49=0.71; P=.01), medication adherence (t49=0.92; P=.01), and physical and mental health measured using Short-Form-12 (SF-12; t49=0.81; P=.01). The results also demonstrated the sustained benefit with improved HF self-care maintenance, self-care management, self-care confidence, knowledge, medication adherence, and physical and mental health (SF-12) at 3 months with P<.05 for all outcomes. Living status and social support had a strong correlation with HF outcomes. Younger participants (aged less than 65 years) performed extremely well compared with older adults. CONCLUSIONS:STS and SMS were feasible to use among PACE participants with sustained benefits at 3 months. Implementing STS and SMS may serve as viable options to improve HF outcomes. Improving outcomes with HF affects hospital systems and the agencies that monitor and provide care for outpatients and those in independent or assisted-living facilities. Investigating viable options and support for implementation will improve outcomes.

Project description:BackgroundOnline social networks, such as Facebook™, have extensive reach, and they use technology that could enhance social support, an established determinant of physical activity. This combination of reach and functionality makes online social networks a promising intervention platform for increasing physical activity.PurposeTo test the efficacy of a physical activity intervention that combined education, physical activity monitoring, and online social networking to increase social support for physical activity compared to an education-only control.DesignRCT. Students (n=134) were randomized to two groups: education-only controls receiving access to a physical activity-focused website (n=67) and intervention participants receiving access to the same website with physical activity self-monitoring and enrollment in a Facebook group (n=67). Recruitment and data collection occurred in 2010 and 2011; data analyses were performed in 2011.Setting/participantsFemale undergraduate students at a large southeastern public university.InterventionIntervention participants were encouraged through e-mails, website instructions, and moderator communications to solicit and provide social support related to increasing physical activity through a physical activity-themed Facebook group. Participants received access to a dedicated website with educational materials and a physical activity self-monitoring tool.Main outcome measuresThe primary outcome was perceived social support for physical activity; secondary outcomes included self-reported physical activity.ResultsParticipants experienced increases in social support and physical activity over time but there were no differences in perceived social support or physical activity between groups over time. Facebook participants posted 259 times to the group. Two thirds (66%) of intervention participants completing a post-study survey indicated that they would recommend the program to friends.ConclusionsUse of an online social networking group plus self-monitoring did not produce greater perceptions of social support or physical activity as compared to education-only controls. Given their promising features and potential reach, efforts to further understand how online social networks can be used in health promotion should be pursued.Trial registrationThis study is registered at clinicaltrials.govNCT01421758.

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Social support for physical activity-role of Facebook with and without structured intervention.

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Social support for physical activity-role of Facebook with and without structured intervention.

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