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How do different delivery schedules of tailored web-based physical activity advice for breast cancer survivors influence intervention use and efficacy?

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of the study is to investigate the impact of differing delivery schedules of computer-tailored physical activity modules on engagement and physical activity behaviour change in a web-based intervention targeting breast cancer survivors.

Methods

Insufficiently active breast cancer survivors (n = 492) were randomly assigned to receive one of the following intervention schedules over 12 weeks: a three-module intervention delivered monthly, a three-module intervention delivered weekly or a single module intervention. Engagement with the website (number of logins, time on site, modules viewed, action plans completed) was measured using tracking software. Other outcomes (website acceptability, physical activity behaviour) were assessed using online surveys. Physical activity outcomes were analysed using regression models for both study completers and when applying intention-to-treat (using multiple imputation).

Results

Completers allocated to the monthly module group rated the intervention higher (b = 2.2 95 % CI = 0.02–4.53) on acceptability and had higher levels of resistance-training (IRR = 1.88, 95 % CI = 1.16–3.04) than those in the single module group. When accounting for missing data, these differences were no longer significant. The completion of at least two action plans was higher among those allocated to the monthly module group compared to those in the weekly module group (53 vs 40 %, p = 0.02); though the completion of at least two modules was higher in the weekly module group compared to the monthly module group (60 vs 46 %; p = 0.01). There were no other significant between group differences observed.

Conclusion

This study provides preliminary evidence that web-based computer-tailored interventions can be used to increase physical activity among breast cancer survivors. Further, there were some outcome differences based on how the tailored modules were delivered, with the most favourable outcomes observed in the monthly delivery group.

Implications for Cancer Survivors

This study will be useful for informing the design of future web-based interventions targeting breast cancer survivors.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank Catherine Coysh for her assistance with the project and feedback on the manuscript. CES is supported by an Early Career Fellowship (ID 1090517) from the National Health and Medical Research Council. ALR is supported by an Early Career Fellowship (ID1105926) from the National Health Medical Research Council. KSC is supported by the Canada Research Chairs Program. RCP is supported by a Research Fellowship from the National Health and Medical Research Council. CV is supported by a Future Leader Fellowship from the National Heart Foundation of Australia (ID 100427). MJD is supported by a Future Leader Fellowship (ID 100029) from the National Heart Foundation of Australia.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Physical Activity Research Group; School of Human, Health and Social Sciences, Central Queensland University, Rockhampton, QLD, Australia

    CE Short, A Rebar & C Vandelanotte

  2. Freemasons Foundation Centre for Men’s Health; School of Medicine, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia

    CE Short

  3. School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia

    EL James & MJ Duncan

  4. Priority Research Centre for Physical Activity and Nutrition, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia

    EL James, MJ Duncan & RC Plotnikoff

  5. Priority Research Centre in Health Behaviour, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia

    EL James

  6. Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, NSW, Australia

    EL James

  7. Faculty of Physical Education and Recreation, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

    KS Courneya

  8. Department of Health Promotion/CAPHRI, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands

    R Crutzen

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  1. CE Short
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  2. A Rebar
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to CE Short.

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Funding

CES is supported by an Early Career Fellowship (ID 1090517) from the National Health and Medical Research Council. ALR is supported by an Early Career Fellowship (ID1105926) from the National Health Medical Research Council. KSC is supported by the Canada Research Chairs Program. RCP is supported by a Research Fellowship from the National Health and Medical Research Council CV is supported by a Future Leader Fellowship from the National Heart Foundation of Australia (ID 100427). MJD is supported by a Future Leader Fellowship (ID 100029) from the National Heart Foundation of Australia.

Conflict of interest

All authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Ethical approval

All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki Declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

Informed consent

Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

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Short, C., Rebar, A., James, E. et al. How do different delivery schedules of tailored web-based physical activity advice for breast cancer survivors influence intervention use and efficacy?. J Cancer Surviv 11, 80–91 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11764-016-0565-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11764-016-0565-0

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