Automated telephone counselling system increased physical activity in the short-term

Castro, Cynthia M PhD

Stanford Center for Research in Disease Prevention; Stanford University School of Medicine; California, USA

Abstracted from:Pinto B, Friedman R, Marcus B et al. Effects of a computer-based, telephone-counseling system on physical activity. Am J Prev Med 2002; 23: 113-120 .

Source of funding: National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute; Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Foundation.

Correspondence to: BM Pinto, Centers for Behavioral and Preventive Medicine, Miriam Hospital and Brown Medical School, Providence, USA. Email: [email protected].

Abstract prepared by Bazian Ltd, London

Evidence-based Healthcare 7(1):p 20-21, March 2003.

BACKGROUND

American guidelines recommend 30 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity every day. Three-quarters of American adults exercise less than the recommended level. Interventions to promote physical activity have been developed that do not involve face-to-face contact with health professionals.

OBJECTIVE

To assess the effect of an automated telephone counselling system on physical activity.

SETTING

One multi-site medical practice in Massachusetts, USA; timeframe not reported.

METHOD

Randomised controlled trial.

PARTICIPANTS

Two hundred and ninety-eight sedentary adults; mean age 46 years; 72% women; 45% white. People aged under 25 and those with medical conditions that would affect participation were excluded.

INTERVENTION

Automated telephone counselling to increase physical activity or automated telephone intervention promoting healthy eating (comparison group) for 6 months. The automated system used computer technology and digitised human speech. The system asked questions and allowed participants to respond using their telephone keypad. The system automatically replied to participants' responses based on models of behaviour change and social cognitive theory.

MAIN OUTCOMES

Self-reported physical activity, energy expenditure on physical activity and motivational readiness for physical activity at 3 and 6 months.

MAIN RESULTS

At 3 months, the intervention group was more likely to meet recommendations for moderate or vigorous intensity physical activity (26 versus 20% comparison group, p = 0.04). There were no differences at 6 months. The proportion of people using the automated intervention system decreased significantly over the study period.

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS

The automated telephone counselling system was associated with short-term increases in physical activity. The results may not have lasted to 6 months because many participants had stopped using the system by that time.

NOTES

The comparison group received a healthy eating intervention. This may have indirectly increased their desire to exercise. Results may have differed if the system automatically called participants, rather than allowing people to choose whether to access the system.