Telephone versus print delivery of an individualized motivationally tailored physical activity intervention: Project STRIDE.
OBJECTIVE
Given that only 25% of Americans meet physical activity recommendations, there is a need to develop and disseminate effective, evidence-based interventions to promote physical activity. The authors tested 2 delivery channels, telephone and print, to determine whether one was more effective in promoting physical activity.


METHODS
The authors randomly assigned 239 healthy, sedentary adults to (a) telephone-based individualized feedback, (b) print-based individualized feedback, or (c) contact control. Both intervention arms were guided by a motivationally tailored, theoretically driven computer expert system.


METHODS
Physical activity as measured by the 7-day Physical Activity Recall interview.


RESULTS
At 6 months, both telephone and print arms significantly increased in minutes of moderate intensity physical activity compared with control, with no differences between the intervention arms. At 12 months, print participants reported a significantly greater number of moderate intensity minutes than both telephone and control participants, who did not differ.


CONCLUSIONS
Results suggest that both telephone and print enhance the adoption of physical activity among sedentary adults; however, print interventions may be particularly effective in maintaining physical activity in the longer term.
Marcus
Bess H
BH
Miriam Hospital and Brown Medical Centers for Behavioral and Preventive Medicine, Providence, RI 02903, USA. bmarcus@lifespan.org
Napolitano
Melissa A
MA
King
Abby C
AC
Lewis
Beth A
BA
Whiteley
Jessica A
JA
Albrecht
Anna
A
Parisi
Alfred
A
Bock
Beth
B
Pinto
Bernardine
B
Sciamanna
Christopher
C
Jakicic
John
J
Papandonatos
George D
GD
D000328:Adult; D035061:Control Groups; D015444:Exercise; D015438:Health Behavior; D006266:Health Education; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009042:Motivation; D009043:Motor Activity; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities; D016636:Telefacsimile; D017216:Telemedicine / Q000379:methods*; D013689:Telephone