title: Active8! Technology-Based Intervention to Promote Physical Activity in Hospital Employees.
abstract: Increase physical activity in health care employees using health messaging, and compare e-mail with mobile phone short-message service (SMS) as delivery channels.
  
  
  
  Randomized controlled trial Setting. U.K. hospital workplace.
  
  
  
  Two hundred ninety-six employees (19-67 years, 53% of study Web site visitors).
  
  
  
  Twelve-week messaging intervention designed to increase physical activity and delivered via SMS (n =147) or e-mail (n =149); content tailored using theory of planned behavior (TPB) and limited to 160 characters.
  
  
  
  Baseline and 6, 12, and 16 weeks. Online measures included TPB constructs, physical activity behavior on the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire, and health-related quality of life on the Short-Form 12.
  
  
  
  General linear models for repeated measures.
  
  
  
  Increase in duration (mean h/d) of moderate work-related activity and moderate recreational activity from baseline to 16 weeks. Short-lived increase in frequency (d/wk) of vigorous recreational activity from baseline to 6 weeks. Increase in duration and frequency of active travel from baseline to 16 weeks. E-mails generated greater changes than SMS in active travel and moderate activity (work and recreational).
  
  
  
  Minimal physical activity promotion delivered by SMS or e-mail can increase frequency and duration of active travel and duration of moderate intensity physical activity at work and for leisure, which is maintained up to 1 month after messaging ends. Both channels were useful platforms for health communication; e-mails were particularly beneficial with hospital employees.
authors.affiliation: 1 School of Health Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Holly
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Blake
authors.affiliation: 2 Institute for Public Communication, University of Lugano (USI), Lugano, Switzerland.
authors.forename: L Suzanne
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Suggs
authors.affiliation: 3 Ethel Donaghue TRIPP Center, UConn Health, Farmington, Connecticut.
authors.forename: Emil
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Coman
authors.affiliation: 2 Institute for Public Communication, University of Lugano (USI), Lugano, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Lucia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Aguirre
authors.affiliation: 4 Centre for Sports Medicine, Queen's Medical Centre Campus, Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, Nottingham, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Mark E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Batt
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D034742:Electronic Mail; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006282:Health Personnel; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D033182:Intention; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D066262:Social Norms; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D060145:Text Messaging; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: E-Mail; Health Communication; Health focus: fitness/physical activity; Manuscript format: research; Mobile Phone; Outcome measure: behavioral; Physical Activity; Prevention Research; Research purpose: intervention testing/program evaluation; Setting: workplace; Strategy: skill building/behavior change; Study design: randomized trial; Target population age: adults; Target population circumstances: n/a; Text Messaging; Workplace