NCT01593449

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

• Status: Completed
• Phase: Phase 1
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 107 (actual)
• Sponsor: University of Massachusetts, Worcester · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 21 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

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.

Detailed 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.

Conditions

• Sedentary

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
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.

Timeline

• Start date: 2011-01-01
• Primary completion: 2012-12-01
• Completion: 2012-12-01
• First posted: 2012-05-08
• Last updated: 2013-04-15

Locations

2 sites across 1 country: United States