Evaluation of an Internet-short message service-based intervention for promoting physical activity in Hong Kong Chinese adolescent school children: a pilot study.
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Date
2012-08-17
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Abstract
Evaluation of acceptability and preliminary efficacy of an Internet and short message service SMS intervention for promoting physical activity PA in Hong Kong Chinese school children An 8 week quasi experimental study non randomly assigned 78 school children mean age 12 8 years to a an intervention group that received a stage matched Internet PA program two times a week and tailored SMS messages daily or b a no treatment control Data were collected from September 2008 until June 2009 Acceptability measures included exposure rate and participant s satisfaction Efficacy measures were changes in stage of motivational readiness SMR and self reported PA level Intervention participants demonstrated significant pre post increments in SMR Z 2 558 p 0 011 and self reported PA level F 1 76 4 50 p 0 04 There was a non significant trend between groups in both SMR p 0 24 and PA p 0 13 Despite the similar ratings of satisfaction between Internet M 3 12 0 74 and SMS M 3 12 0 84 participants displayed distinct patterns of exposure with 66 exhibiting a weekly login rate of 0 5 times person and an average of 3 75 minutes visit person In contrast 79 of participants read an average of 1 3 SMS person week and 47 voluntarily replied to 3 8 SMS person These findings demonstrate the acceptability and preliminary efficacy of an Internet SMS based intervention for promoting PA in Hong Kong school children The divergent exposure rates between the Internet and SMS may be a unique pattern for adolescents in early SMR Future research should be cognizant of the importance of SMR since it may influence utilization and or adherence