Lessons learned from a blended telephone/e-health platform for caregivers in promoting physical activity and nutrition in children with a mobility disability.
Brooks C Wingo, Dershung Yang, Drew Davis and 4 others
PMID 31416771WHAT IT FOUND
Phone coaching plus a website did not improve retention or behavior compared with phone coaching alone.
Completion was lower with the website, 67% versus 92% by phone only, and parents said calls mattered most.
Key findings
01Study completion was 92% in the telephone only group and 67% in the telephone plus website group, and completed coaching calls did not differ significantly.
02No significant differences were found between groups in change in weight, fruit or vegetable intake, or physical activity.
03Parents reported that the coaching calls were the most motivating factor of the intervention.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
The study randomized 65 parent/child dyads, but only 50 completed baseline measures and 40 completed the intervention. The behavior outcomes were exploratory, not the primary outcomes. The sample was small and short-term, so it cannot show long-term behavior change. Diet and activity were measured by parent report, not objective measures. The small sample and wide range of physical activity scores may have affected the behavior results. Only parents in the website group were interviewed, so the telephone only group did not report its experience with coaching. The study did not test the website component alone, because both groups received phone coaching. Commercial accelerometers may not capture total physical activity in children who use wheelchairs.
Declared interests
The paper is labeled as NIH extramural research support. No author conflicts of interest or sponsor role in design, analysis, or writing are stated in the supplied text.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read the 67% versus 92% completion rates as proof the website harmed outcomes. The study was a small feasibility pilot, both groups received phone coaching, and the behavior outcomes were exploratory.