Intern Health Study 2021

Not Applicable

Completed

• Conditions: Telemedicine
• Interventions: Behavioral: Intern Health Study mobile app; Behavioral: Intern Health Study competition-related mobile notification; Behavioral: Intern Health Study mobile app competition scoreboard and history

• Registration Number: NCT05537532
• Lead Sponsor: University of Michigan

Brief Summary

The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of gamified competition (delivered through a smartphone) for improving the physical activity and sleep of medical interns.

Detailed Description

Due to their high-stress workloads, medical interns tend to have lower sleep and decreased physical activity. The goal of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of gamified competition (delivered through a smartphone) for improving the physical activity and sleep of medical interns. During the study, they are teamed up by programs and institutions and compete with other teams, which aim to motivate them to have more physical activity and sleep duration during their internship year.

The primary aim of this study is to investigate whether introducing competition mechanisms into mobile health (mHealth) interventions can improve a medical intern's activity-related behavioral outcomes: daily step counts and sleep duration. The first secondary aim is to assess the time-varying competition effect on their behavioral outcomes. The first exploratory aim is to assess the competition effect on study engagement and the second exploratory aim is to evaluate the competition effect on mental outcome, mood score.

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2021-04-01
• Primary Completion: 2022-06-30
• Study Completion: 2022-06-30
• Status Verified: 2022-09
• Study First Submitted: 2022-09-09
• Study First Submitted QC: 2022-09-09
• Last Update Submitted: 2022-09-09
• Study First Posted: 2022-09-13
• Last Update Posted: 2022-09-13

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 1486

Inclusion Criteria

• Medical intern during the 2021-2022 internship year
• Enrolled in study by the start of internship (7/1/22)

Exclusion Criteria

• None

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Competition group	Intern Health Study mobile app competition scoreboard and history	Programs with at least five interns were grouped into program-based teams. Interns within the same residency institution in programs that did not meet this criterion were grouped into institution-based teams, with a minimum of five participants per team. For each week, an eligible team is randomized to either a steps competition or non-competition group with 50/50 chance. For those randomized to competition arm, teams were assigned an opponent team by total randomization, by which the opponent team was assigned regardless of institution and specialty.
Non-competition group	Intern Health Study mobile app	For each week, an eligible team is randomized to either competition or non-competition group with 50/50 chance.
Competition group	Intern Health Study competition-related mobile notification	Programs with at least five interns were grouped into program-based teams. Interns within the same residency institution in programs that did not meet this criterion were grouped into institution-based teams, with a minimum of five participants per team. For each week, an eligible team is randomized to either a steps competition or non-competition group with 50/50 chance. For those randomized to competition arm, teams were assigned an opponent team by total randomization, by which the opponent team was assigned regardless of institution and specialty.
Competition group	Intern Health Study mobile app	Programs with at least five interns were grouped into program-based teams. Interns within the same residency institution in programs that did not meet this criterion were grouped into institution-based teams, with a minimum of five participants per team. For each week, an eligible team is randomized to either a steps competition or non-competition group with 50/50 chance. For those randomized to competition arm, teams were assigned an opponent team by total randomization, by which the opponent team was assigned regardless of institution and specialty.

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Average daily step count	Daily, throughout intern year (1 year)	Participants' daily step counts are recorded through a Fitbit or an apple watch. High step counts are considered a positive outcome as it indicates more physical activity.; For teams randomized into competition arm and randomized to compete on step count, their average daily step count is compared with the average step count of the opponent team.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Average daily mood score	Daily, throughout intern year (1 year)	Through the study mobile app, participants enter a mood score (scale 1-10) every day of the study. 1 corresponds to lowest mood and 10 corresponds to highest mood.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

University of Michigan; 🇺🇸 Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States