title: Engagement and retention of participants in a physical activity website.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Websites have the potential to deliver enhanced versions of targeted and tailored physical activity programs to large numbers of participants. We describe participant engagement and retention with a stage-based physical activity website in a workplace setting.
  
  
  METHODS
  We analyzed data from participants in the website condition of a randomized trial designed to test the efficacy of a print- vs. website-delivered intervention. They received four stage-targeted e-mails over 8 weeks, with hyperlinks to the website. Both objective and self-reported website use data were collected and analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall, 327 were randomized to the website condition and 250 (76%) completed the follow-up survey. Forty-six percent (n = 152) visited the website over the trial period. A total of 4,114 hits to the website were recorded. Participants who entered the site spent on average 9 min per visit and viewed 18 pages. Website use declined over time; 77% of all visits followed the first e-mail.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Limited website engagement, despite the perceived usefulness of the materials, demonstrates possible constraints on the use of e-mails and websites in delivering health behavior change programs. In the often-cluttered information environment of workplaces, issues of engagement and retention in website-delivered programs require attention.
authors.affiliation: School of Population Health, The University of Queensland, Australia. e.leslie@sph.uq.edu.au
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Leslie
authors.forename: A L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Marshall
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Owen
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bauman
mesh_terms: D001315:Australia; D015444:Exercise; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D010349:Patient Compliance