2019-2024
Empirical
Findings
Boston Roybal Center for Active Lifestyle Interventions (RALI)
Effects of a digital self-control intervention to increase physical activity in middle-aged adults
Summary: Self-control to increase physical activity in middle-age: Both groups increased in self-reported METS from pre-test to follow-up, but the self-control condition was associated with significantly greater increases. Fitbit changes in steps and amount of moderate-to-vigorous activity did not significantly differ between groups. Self-control was rated as higher from pre-test to post-test to follow-up, but the self-control and comparison conditions did not differ; a Time X Changes in self-control interaction indicated that increases in self-control had a more pronounced effect on METS. High conscientious participants in the self-control condition showed greater increases in steps compared with highly consciousness participants in the control group.
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Columbia Roybal Center for Fearless Behavior Change
Family-authored ICU diaries to reduce fear in patients experiencing a cardiac arrest (FAID fear): A pilot randomized controlled trial
Stage: IB
Summary: ICU Diaries for Reducing Stress in Family Members of Survivors: 64% of those eligible were recruited and approximately 87% completed the final assessment 30 days after the end of hospital care. Adherence to the diary twice a week by those who completed the study was 70%. Family members reported the diary intervention was appropriate for reducing cardiac fears, feasible and acceptable. Open-ended responses about the diary intervention were uniformly positive. Questionnaire responses about cardiac fear and avoidance tended to be positive, but did not significantly differ from the usual care group, but the study was not powered for assessing clinical efficacy.
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Cornell Roybal Center- Translational Research Institute on Pain in Later Life
A Pilot Study of a Chronic Pain Self-Management Program Delivered by Community Health Workers to Underserved African American Older Adults
Stage: IA/IB
Summary: A Positive Psychology Intervention for Chronic Pain Led by Community Health Workers (CHW): Participants, on average completed 5.7 of 7 sessions, the completion rate was 90% and verbal reports indicated uniform satisfaction with the intervention, all indicating feasibility and acceptability. Those receiving the intervention had significantly lower pain interference and higher self-efficacy for coping with pain than the no-intervention group at the conclusion of the study. Physical functioning showed a non-statistically significant (p < .07). decline. Participants reported a global change in pain and more participants versus controls reported taking "less" or "much less" medication since baseline (p
Duke Roybal Center
Linking physical activity to personal values: feasibility and acceptability randomized pilot of a behavioral intervention for older adults with osteoarthritis pain
Stage: IB
Summary: A Values-Based Behavioral Intervention to Improve Pain, Functioning and Physical Activity in Older Adults with Osteoarthritis Pain (OA): Patient accrual within the study time frame was 100% and attrition was low (5%). Acceptability of the intervention, measured (at follow-up) with the Client Satisfaction Questionnaire (24)(Attkisson & Zwick, 1982), was rated as "mostly" or "very helpful." Treatment subjects reported improvements in pain on the Arthritic Pain Impact scale (Meenan, Gertman & Mason, 1980), and more self-reported physical activity over time compared to the usual care control group. Reliable objective step counts were unavailable because of problems associated with syncing the activity tracker; some problems were related to the COVID-19 pandemic and others with difficulties using and syncing personal fitness trackers.
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Midwest Roybal Center for Health Promotion and Translation
BAILAMOS With mHealth Technology! Improving Physical Activity and Well-Being in Middle-Aged and Older Latinxs: A Pre-Post Feasibility Study
Stage: IB
Summary: Physical Activity (PA) and Well-Being: Device-monitored moderate-to-vigorous activity increased an average 35 minutes per day pre- to post-intervention, and approximately three- and a half hours per week. These positive results were stronger than a study relying completely on a face-to-face dance program (Marquez et al., 2015). Researchers argue the intervention has more potential if delivery of intervention (e.g., motivational text messages) occurs on days when program does not meet in person.
MIT Roybal Center for Translational Research to Improve Healthcare for the Aging
Experimental Evidence on the Effectiveness of Nonexperts for Improving Vaccine Demand
Summary: Overcoming Resistance to Flu Vaccination in Low SES Black Americans: Results indicated the layperson was perceived be less qualified and trustworthy to give general medical advice than the expert. Receiving the message from a lay sender was associated with 39% more likely to report that they or their household members had received the flu vaccine in the weeks between the baseline and follow-up surveys. The layperson intervention was the only one intervention with a take-up rate that is statistically significantly different from of all of the other interventions. There were positive effects of racial concordance, but only among Black respondents; no such effects were evident among White respondents. Acknowledgement of past breaches of trust by a race-discordant expert increased ratings by approximately the same magnitude as a race-concordant expert sender without acknowledgement, but neither significantly affected vaccine take-up reported in the follow-up survey.
NBER Roybal Center for Behavior Change in Health
Megastudies improve the impact of applied behavioural science
Stage: IV
Summary: Megastudies to increase physical exercise in adults: The most effective technique was offering micro-rewards for returning to the gym after a missed workout. Another high-performing intervention texted messages about high and increasing social norms. During the 4-week post intervention period, only 8% of the interventions outperformed the placebo. In a separate part of the research, laypeople, professors in public health and practitioners from applied behavioral science companies were asked to predict the impact of three randomly selected treatments. Correlations between predictions of these impartial observers were consistently inaccurate about which treatment would increase the likelihood of making a gym visit.
ORCASTRAIT Oregon Roybal Center for Care Support Translational Research Advantaged by Integrating Technology
The Remote Assessment and Dynamic Response Program: Development of an In-Home Dementia-Related Care Needs Assessment to Improve Well-Being
Stage: IA
Summary: Dementia Care planning Informed by Remote (digital) Data about Daily Home Routines: Objective data collected by READyR were perceived by the dementia care experts to be of considerable utility in reducing barriers encountered frequently in conducting a comprehensive assessment with the PLWD and their caregivers. The experts thought that having access to real-time data about daily routines could inform difficult discussions regarding potential increasing care needs.
Roybal Center for Behavioral Interventions in Aging
Using dynamic microsimulation to project cognitive function in the elderly population
Summary: Predicting Cognitive Aging Across the Alzheimer's disease continuum: Distribution of TICS scores after ten years of simulation closely matched the 2016 HRS distribution for respondents aged 53+ and 65+ in 2006. Individual level predictions of the model for dementia or dead with dementia in 10 years yielded (AROCs) of 0.904 and 0.868, respectively. Both values indicated excellent ability to predict who was diagnosed with versus without dementia. FEM's strong predictive performance was comparable for age, race and ethnicity, education and disease status subgroups. The model's performed significantly better than COMPASS, which requires detailed clinical knowledge and APOE genotype from a selective disease registry.
Roybal Center for Personalized Trials: Physical Activity Promotion to Foster Healthy Aging
Roybal Center for Personalized Trials: Physical Activity Promotion to Foster Healthy Aging
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The Roybal Center for Therapeutic Optimization using Behavioral Science
Preferences for mHealth Technology and Text Messaging Communication in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes: Qualitative Interview Study
Stage: IA
Summary: Diabetes Self-Management Via mHealth: Some patients expressed hesitation about the potential intrusiveness of the technology, but still reported being open to incorporating it as a cue to make medication taking (e.g., take the pill before the coffee) more automatic and less burdensome. Patients preferred simple and positively framed communication (e.g., "... encouragement" rather than 'You missed this,' " p. 6). The importance of customization to text content was also relevant and salient to the patients.
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Penn Roybal Center on Behavioral Economics and Health
Effects of Ownership Text Message Wording and Reminders on Receipt of an Influenza Vaccination: A Randomized Clinical Trial
Stage: III
Summary: Ownership Text Messaging to Facilitate Influence Vaccination: The extent to which these results apply to patients, not so engaged in care (i.e., already scheduled a medical appointment) or patients in other health care systems is also unknown. An exploratory analysis indicated that Black versus White participants responded differentially to the reserved message compared with usual care. Receiving the reserved message was associated with increased vaccination in Whites, but not in Black patients, whose vaccination rate (non-significantly) declined. Racial/ethnic differences might prompt researchers to return to Stage 1a, which includes modification, adaptation, or refinement of an existing intervention.
Rochester Roybal Center for Social Ties and Aging Research
Engage coaching for caregivers: a pilot trial to reduce loneliness in dementia caregivers
Stage: IB
Summary: Reducing Loneliness in Dementia Caregivers: Most participants (70%) completed all coaching sessions, which exceeded the researchers' target for feasibility. Responses to the Treatment and Acceptability Scale at follow-up were very positive with 100% reporting the program as appropriate, suitable, convenient and 95% as effective. There was significant improvement on the Loneliness and Satisfaction with Relationships scales at follow-up.
The Emory Roybal Center for Caregiving Mastery
Caregiver self-efficacy improves following complex care training: Results from the Learning Skills Together pilot study
Stage: IB
Summary: A Psychoeducational Program to Improve Complex Care Provided by Family Caregivers to PLWD: Retention was 83% at 4-weeks post intervention and 71% at 8-weeks post-intervention. Most participants said they would "very likely" recommend LST to another caregiver, enjoyed the program, and found the information to be easy to understand. Self-efficacy significantly improved from baseline both at 4-week and 8-week post- intervention.
The Palliative and Advanced Illness Research Center
Feasibility and acceptability of a web-based advance care plan for dementia
Stage: IB
Summary: Web-Based Advanced Care Planning for Dementia: Ratings indicated the website was acceptable to PLWD and surrogates with ratings leaning toward the moderate or positive end of the spectrum. PLWD and surrogate ratings did not differ significantly although PLWD assessed acceptability lower than surrogates. The qualitative data tended to confirm the scale ratings, but some PLWD had more difficulty understanding and using the content, needed help with navigation of the website, and found the content helpful, but not as helpful as did the surrogates. Both PLWD and surrogates indicated they would recommend the website to others.