Feasibility and Implementation of a Healthy Lifestyles Program
Study Details
Study Description
Brief Summary
Chronic conditions, such as obesity and diabetes, are increasing worldwide. Lifestyle changes (e.g., physical activity, healthy diet, sufficient sleep, managing stress, smoking cessation) are often recommended to prevent or manage these conditions, but changing habits is difficult. Mental health can play a role in the ability to seek out and follow through on the changes necessary to achieve or maintain a healthy lifestyle, yet this aspect is rarely addressed, and access to mental health services is often limited. Furthermore, individuals are influenced by factors at the individual, interpersonal, community and policy levels (e.g., lack of socialization, unsafe neighborhoods). These factors can act as barriers and need to be addressed in order for individuals to make sustainable lifestyle changes.
A new year-long person-centered healthy lifestyles program is proposed to address the "how to" gap in making lifestyle changes through a combination of individual and group sessions. The feasibility and implementation of this new program will be evaluated through a pilot study looking at the full healthy lifestyles program compared to a less intensive version of the program. The study's hypothesis is that the full program will be feasible, acceptable and more effective for helping participants move across stages of change and for meeting their goals than the less intensive program.
| Condition or Disease | Intervention/Treatment | Phase |
|---|---|---|
|
N/A |
Detailed Description
A pragmatic mixed methods design including a randomized controlled trial and qualitative components will be used for this pilot study. The randomized controlled trial will include a 1:1 allocation comparing a more intensive program (MIP - usual care plus healthy lifestyles program) with a less intensive program (LIP - usual care plus development of health goals).
The qualitative components include semi-structured interviews of participants (exit interviews at 12 months), MIP staff and participants' healthcare providers (at 6 months and 12 months). In addition, focus groups will be conducted with family members of MIP participants at 9 months. These elements will provide perspectives from multiple stakeholders for improving the healthy lifestyles program and on their roles in creating and maintaining healthy lifestyles.
The primary aim of this study is to assess the feasibility and implementation of the healthy lifestyles program. Impact on participant experiences and outcomes will also be measured. Findings from this study will help inform a larger randomized trial to further look at effectiveness of the program and to determine health system implications. A 2-year extension was approved in order to determine sustainability of findings.
Study Design
Arms and Interventions
| Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
|---|---|
| Experimental: More Intensive Program (MIP) Participants will receive the more intensive program, which combines usual care with the full version of the healthy lifestyles program. Participants in this arm will meet weekly for group health and wellness learning sessions or brainstorming group sessions. In addition, they will meet monthly for individual sessions with a multidisciplinary health team, including a family physician, physical therapist and dietician to tailor their health goal development and action plans to their particular needs and situations. They will be asked to maintain physical activity and nutrition journals for a week each every three months. |
Behavioral: Health and wellness learning sessions
The health and wellness learning sessions provide a platform for concepts from a variety of health behaviour theories and CBT to be combined with evidence- and practice-based recommendations for healthy lifestyles. They provide the basis for participants' development of an individualized action plan. The sessions will last one hour and participants will receive them in a group setting, 18 times throughout the duration of the program. Specifically, the sessions will be delivered during weeks: 1-8, 12, 16, 20, 24, 28, 32, 36, 40, 44, 48.
Behavioral: Brainstorming group sessions
The brainstorming group sessions allow for facilitated discussions where individuals explore barriers and facilitators to achieving their goals and provide an interpersonal component to the program through the building of social interactions. Participants will also receive help in finding community programs to support healthy lifestyles. These sessions will last one hour and participants will receive them in a group setting, 30 times throughout the duration of the program. Specifically, these sessions will be delivered during weeks: 9-11, 13-15, 17-19, 21-23, 25-27, 29-31, 33-35, 37-39, 41-43, 45-47.
Behavioral: Individual sessions with a multidisciplinary health team
Monthly individual sessions with a family physician trained in medical CBT, a dietician and a physical therapist help individuals tailor their action plans and recommendations to their particular circumstances and provide supports based on their needs. The initial session will last 3 hours and occur at baseline. The follow-up sessions will last 1 hour.
Behavioral: Health goal development
Participants in both arms will develop health goals. Several components of these goals will be measured throughout the study, including the stage of change, self-efficacy and actual goal achievement. In the more intensive program arm, participants will develop health goals and learn about how to meet those goals through the group and individual sessions. In the less intensive program arm, participants will receive support in developing health goals from a research assistant trained in theories of health behaviour and in goal setting at baseline, 3 months, 6 months, 9 months and 12 months. The initial goal setting session will be provided within a time period of 2 hours, and the follow-up sessions will be provided within one hour time periods.
Behavioral: Physical activity and nutrition journals
Participants in both arm will be asked to maintain a physical activity journal and a nutrition journal for a week each every three months. These journals help participants reflect on current behaviours and areas for change.
|
| Experimental: Less Intensive Program (LIP) Participants will receive the less intensive program, which combines usual care along with health goal development. Participants in this arm will meet at baseline to set health goals with the support of a research assistant trained in theories of health behaviour and goal setting. They will also meet every three months to measure progress in achieving their goals. They will be asked to maintain physical activity and nutrition journals for a week each every three months. |
Behavioral: Health goal development
Participants in both arms will develop health goals. Several components of these goals will be measured throughout the study, including the stage of change, self-efficacy and actual goal achievement. In the more intensive program arm, participants will develop health goals and learn about how to meet those goals through the group and individual sessions. In the less intensive program arm, participants will receive support in developing health goals from a research assistant trained in theories of health behaviour and in goal setting at baseline, 3 months, 6 months, 9 months and 12 months. The initial goal setting session will be provided within a time period of 2 hours, and the follow-up sessions will be provided within one hour time periods.
Behavioral: Physical activity and nutrition journals
Participants in both arm will be asked to maintain a physical activity journal and a nutrition journal for a week each every three months. These journals help participants reflect on current behaviours and areas for change.
|
Outcome Measures
Primary Outcome Measures
- Retention rates [Baseline to 12 months]
Number of participants recruited and number of participants completing the program
Secondary Outcome Measures
- Changes in health goals - Stage of change over time [Baseline, 3 months, 6 months, 9 months and 12 months, 18 months, 24 months, 30 months, 36 months]
For each health goal, stage of change will be determined with a 7-point Likert scale. Comparisons will be made with baseline but also with other time points.
- Changes in health goals - Self-efficacy over time [Baseline, 3 months, 6 months, 9 months and 12 months, 18 months, 24 months, 30 months, 36 months]
For each health goal, self-efficacy will be determined with a 7-point Likert scale. Comparisons will be made with baseline but also with other time points.
- Changes in health goals - Goal achievement over time [Baseline, 3 months, 6 months, 9 months and 12 months, 18 months, 24 months, 30 months, 36 months]
For each health goal, goal achievement will be determined with a 7-point Likert scale. Comparisons will be made with baseline but also with other time points.
- Changes in health-related quality of life on the SF-36 [Baseline, 3 months, 6 months, 9 months and 12 months, 18 months, 24 months, 30 months, 36 months]
Using a validated scale, health-related quality of life will be measured over time. Comparisons will be made with baseline but also with other time points.
- Changes in health-related quality of life on the Health Utilities Index (HUI) 2/3 [Baseline, 3 months, 6 months, 9 months and 12 months, 18 months, 24 months, 30 months, 36 months]
Using a validated scale, health-related quality of life will be measured over time. Comparisons will be made with baseline but also with other time points.
- Changes in the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ) [Baseline, 3 months, 6 months, 9 months and 12 months, 18 months, 24 months, 30 months, 36 months]
Using a validated scale, five common mental health conditions (depression, anxiety, alcohol misuse, somatoform disorder and bulimia) will be measured over time. Comparisons will be made with baseline but also with other time points.
- Changes in the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) [Baseline, 3 months, 6 months, 9 months and 12 months, 18 months, 24 months, 30 months, 36 months]
Using a validated scale, signs and symptoms of insomnia will be measured over time. Comparisons will be made with baseline but also with other time points.
- Changes in the Perceived Stress Scale [Baseline, 3 months, 6 months, 9 months and 12 months, 18 months, 24 months, 30 months, 36 months]
Using a validated scale, signs and symptoms of perceived stress will be measured over time. Comparisons will be made with baseline but also with other time points.
- Changes in the DeJong Gierveld 6-item Loneliness Scale [Baseline, 3 months, 6 months, 9 months and 12 months, 18 months, 24 months, 30 months, 36 months]
Using a validated scale, emotional and social loneliness will be measured over time. Comparisons will be made with baseline but also with other time points.
- Changes in blood pressure [Baseline and 12 months, 24 months, 36 months]
Both systolic and diastolic blood pressure will be measured
- Changes in weight [Baseline and 12 months, 24 months, 36 months]
Weight will be measured in kilograms
- Changes in body mass index (BMI) [Baseline and 12 months, 24 months, 36 months]
Weight and height will be combined to report BMI in kg/m^2
- Changes in waist circumference [Baseline and 12 months, 24 months, 36 months]
Measured around waist with a tape measure in inches
- Changes in waist:hip ratio [Baseline and 12 months, 24 months, 36 months]
Measured around waist and hips with a tape measure in inches
Eligibility Criteria
Criteria
Inclusion criteria for randomized controlled trial:
-
English-speaking
-
18 years of age or older
Inclusion criteria for qualitative components (family focus groups):
-
English-speaking
-
16 years of age or older
-
related to participants in randomized controlled trial
Inclusion criteria for qualitative components (program staff):
- Provide services within the more intensive program
Inclusion criteria for qualitative components (healthcare providers):
- Provide health care outside of the healthy lifestyles program for participants in randomized controlled trial
Exclusion Criteria:
- NA
Contacts and Locations
Locations
| Site | City | State | Country | Postal Code | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | McMaster University | Hamilton | Ontario | Canada | L8S 4K1 |
Sponsors and Collaborators
- McMaster University
Investigators
- Principal Investigator: Elizabeth Alvarez, MD, MPH, PhD, McMaster University
Study Documents (Full-Text)
More Information
Additional Information:
- Obesity and overweight
- Obesity in Canada
- Obesity Puts Young Kids at Risk of Social Isolation
- Socializing key to "successful aging"
- Mental health wait times a serious problem across Ontario, say advocates
- Ontario youth wait a year or more for mental health care: report
- Taking patient-centred health care from rhetoric to reality
- The Patients First Act - Frequently Asked Questions
- Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs
- Prochaska and diclemente's stages of change model - Google Search
- Mixed methods embedded design in medical education, mental health and health services research: A methodological analysis
- Chapter 4: Screening for Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes
- 36-Item Short Form Survey (SF-36)
- HUI Update
- Measuring and Valuing Health
- Patient Healthcare Questionnaire
- Validation of the Insomnia Severity Index as an outcome measure for insomnia research
Publications
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- Healthy lifestyles pilot