Financial Health Incentives to Promote Physical Activity Among Hospital Employees: A Randomized Control Trial

Examining Financial Health Incentives to Promote Physical Activity Among Inactive Hospital Employees: A Web-based Randomized Control Trial

The objective of this randomized control trial is to examine whether incentives-for-steps (i.e. $1 per day step count goals are reached) increase daily step counts among physically inactive hospital employees.

A 24-week, parallel arm, randomized control trial will be employed to examine the impact of incentives on physical activity among physically inactive Hamilton Health Science Corporation employees. Participants will be randomly allocated (1:1) into control (i.e. wellness program and accelerometer) or intervention groups (i.e. wellness program, accelerometer, incentives), where only intervention participants will receive reward points for completing daily step count goals.

After randomization, a baseline 'run-in' assessment phase will occur one week prior to the study intervention (T0). During this 'run-in' period, participants will wear a Bluetooth enabled StepsCount Piezo accelerometer, which will track participants' daily steps and moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA), and synchronize their accelerometer (i.e. upload information) to the Change4Life program for seven days. Participants will also be asked to complete the Behavioural Regulation to Exercise Questionnaire (BREQ-3) and the Self-Efficacy for Exercise Scale.

Throughout the 24-week study, all participants will be asked to wear the accelerometer and synchronize it to the Change4Life program daily. Date, steps per day, and bout minutes of MVPA per day (bouts include 10 or more continuous minutes of MVPA) will be collected when the accelerometer is synchronized. Daily synchronization from the accelerometer to the Change4Life program must be completed by 10 am the next morning. Participants will be instructed to increase their daily step counts by 1,000 and 2,000 steps above baseline (T0) over the course of the first six weeks of the study. On week 7, participants will be asked to increase daily steps per day to 3,000 over baseline, and maintain that level of activity for the duration of the study.

Outcome measures will be assessed at baseline (T0), intervention end point (T2), and follow up (T3).

Inclusion Criteria:

• Over the age of 18 years
• English speaking

Exclusion Criteria:

• Existing medical condition, which could be exacerbated by physical activity as measured by the Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire.

Note. Participants cannot enrol in the study without Internet access