TAKing Steps for Incentives

Not Applicable

Completed

• Conditions: Incentives; Physical Activity
• Interventions: Behavioral: Incentive-based physical activity program; Behavioral: 3-month follow up

• Registration Number: NCT01892475
• Lead Sponsor: Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School

Brief Summary

The purpose of this study is to test the overall effects of incentives on physical activity among older taxi drivers, and whether mental accounting exists in this context.

Detailed Description

As part of the 4-month Randomized Controlled Trial, participating taxi drivers will be assigned to 1 of 2 groups where they will receive either cash or taxi rental credits for meeting specified monthly step goals measured via a step counter. Subsequently, for an additional 3 months, drivers will be incentivized to wear step counters to test if effects of the rewards are sustained once the reward is no longer in place. Effects will be quantified in terms of step activity; and in terms of changes in Body Mass Index (BMI), Resting Heart Rate (HR), Blood Pressure (BP), self-reported General Health, Health-Related Quality of Life (HR-QOL) and work productivity.

Study Timeline

• Study First Submitted: 2013-07-01
• Study First Submitted QC: 2013-07-01
• Study First Posted: 2013-07-04
• Study Start: 2013-11
• Primary Completion: 2015-12
• Study Completion: 2015-12
• Status Verified: 2016-01
• Last Update Submitted: 2016-01-03
• Last Update Posted: 2016-01-05

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 314

Inclusion Criteria

• Must be a taxi driver who is a hirer, and who drives for at least 8 hours daily over 5 days
• Aged between 50 to 75
• English/Mandarin-speaking

Exclusion Criteria

• Report difficulty doing 10 minutes of aerobic activities without stopping, walking up 10 stairs without stopping or performing basic activities of daily living
• Have any medical conditions that limit their ability to walk as a means of physical activity

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Mental-Accounting (MA) based	3-month follow up	As part of the Incentive-based physical activity program, drivers assigned to the Mental-Accounting (MA) based arm will receive incentives in the form of taxi rental credits for meeting specified monthly step goals from Months 1 to 4.
Cash Only (CO)	Incentive-based physical activity program	As part of the Incentive-based physical activity program, drivers assigned to the Cash Only (CO) arm will earn incentives in the form of cash for meeting specified monthly step goals from Months 1 to 4.
Cash Only (CO)	3-month follow up	As part of the Incentive-based physical activity program, drivers assigned to the Cash Only (CO) arm will earn incentives in the form of cash for meeting specified monthly step goals from Months 1 to 4.
Mental-Accounting (MA) based	Incentive-based physical activity program	As part of the Incentive-based physical activity program, drivers assigned to the Mental-Accounting (MA) based arm will receive incentives in the form of taxi rental credits for meeting specified monthly step goals from Months 1 to 4.

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Steps taken	7 months	Steps will be assessed using Fitbit, which has an in-built 3-axis accelerometer that measures motion patterns. This will be evaluated monthly, from pre-Baseline through Month 7.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Body Mass Index (BMI)	7 months	BMI will be evaluated using measured height and weight, and will be assessed at Months 0 (Baseline), 4 and 7.
Resting Heart Rate	7 months	Resting Heart Rate will be evaluated using a clinically validated machine (Welch Allyn SPOT Vital Signs Monitor), and will be assessed at Months 0 (Baseline), 4 and 7.
Blood Pressure	7 months	Blood pressure will be evaluated using a clinically validated machine (Welch Allyn SPOT Vital Signs Monitor), and will be assessed at Months 0 (Baseline), 4 and 7.
Self-reported General Health	7 months	Self-reported General Health will be evaluated using a validated survey instrument (SF12), and will be assessed at Months 0 (Baseline), 4 and 7.
Health-Related Quality of Life (HR-QOL)	7 months	Health-Related Quality of Life will be evaluated using a validated instrument (EQ-5D), and will be assessed at Months 0 (Baseline), 4 and 7.
Work Productivity	7 months	Work Productivity will be evaluated using a validated instrument (Work Productivity Activity Impairment Questionnaire) and other work-related data, and will be assessed throughout Months 0 (Baseline), 4 and 7.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School; 🇸🇬 Singapore, Singapore