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Effects on engagement and health literacy outcomes of Web-based materials promoting physical activity in people with diabetes: an international randomized trial

Effects on engagement and health literacy outcomes of Web-based materials promoting physical activity in people with diabetes: an international randomized trial
Effects on engagement and health literacy outcomes of Web-based materials promoting physical activity in people with diabetes: an international randomized trial

Background: Developing accessible Web-based materials to support diabetes self-management in people with lower levels of health literacy is a continuing challenge.

Objective: The objective of this international study was to develop a Web-based intervention promoting physical activity among people with type 2 diabetes to determine whether audiovisual presentation and interactivity (quizzes, planners, tailoring) could help to overcome the digital divide by making digital interventions accessible and effective for people with all levels of health literacy. This study also aimed to determine whether these materials can improve health literacy outcomes for people with lower levels of health literacy and also be effective for people with higher levels of health literacy.

Methods: To assess the impact of interactivity and audiovisual features on usage, engagement, and health literacy outcomes, we designed two versions of a Web-based intervention (one interactive and one plain-text version of the same content) to promote physical activity in people with type 2 diabetes. We randomly assigned participants from the United Kingdom, Austria, Germany, Ireland, and Taiwan to either an interactive or plain-text version of the intervention in English, German, or Mandarin. Intervention usage was objectively recorded by the intervention software. Self-report measures were taken at baseline and follow-up (immediately after participants viewed the intervention) and included measures of health literacy, engagement (website satisfaction and willingness to recommend the intervention to others), and health literacy outcomes (diabetes knowledge, enablement, attitude, perceived behavioral control, and intention to undertake physical activity).

Results: In total, 1041 people took part in this study. Of the 1005 who completed health literacy information, 268 (26.67%) had intermediate or low levels of health literacy. The interactive intervention overall did not produce better outcomes than did the plain-text version. Participants in the plain-text intervention group looked at significantly more sections of the intervention (mean difference –0.47, 95% CI –0.64 to –0.30, P<.001), but this did not lead to better outcomes. Health literacy outcomes, including attitudes and intentions to engage in physical activity, significantly improved following the intervention for participants in both intervention groups. These improvements were similar across higher and lower health literacy levels and in all countries. Participants in the interactive intervention group had acquired more diabetes knowledge (mean difference 0.80, 95% CI 0.65-0.94, P<.001). Participants from both groups reported high levels of website satisfaction and would recommend the website to others.

Conclusions: Following established practice for simple, clear design and presentation and using a person-based approach to intervention development, with in-depth iterative feedback from users, may be more important than interactivity and audiovisual presentations when developing accessible digital health interventions to improve health literacy outcomes.

ClinicalTrial: International Standard Randomized Controlled Trial Number (ISRCTN): 43587048; http://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN43587048. (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6nGhaP9bv)

1438-8871
1-13
Muller, Ingrid
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Rowsell, Alison
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Stuart, Beth
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Hayter, Victoria
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Little, Paul
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Ganahl, Kristin
4347e868-9694-48e8-8ad1-75b6e5378121
Muller, Gabriel
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Doyle, Gerardine
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Chang, Peter
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Lyles, Courtney
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Nutbeam, Donald
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Yardley, Lucy
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Muller, Ingrid
2569bf42-51bd-40da-bbfd-dd4dbbd62cad
Rowsell, Alison
ec8c6957-7e42-4c4e-b2d0-fbdf0c450a49
Stuart, Beth
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Hayter, Victoria
eb2d271d-e17b-4ef6-b761-a52f6342293a
Little, Paul
1bf2d1f7-200c-47a5-ab16-fe5a8756a777
Ganahl, Kristin
4347e868-9694-48e8-8ad1-75b6e5378121
Muller, Gabriel
4df5d8c5-f559-4ad1-8ec8-634b6e0f2ff7
Doyle, Gerardine
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Chang, Peter
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Lyles, Courtney
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Nutbeam, Donald
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Yardley, Lucy
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Muller, Ingrid, Rowsell, Alison and Stuart, Beth et al. (2017) Effects on engagement and health literacy outcomes of Web-based materials promoting physical activity in people with diabetes: an international randomized trial. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 19 (1), 1-13, [e21]. (doi:10.2196/jmir.6601). (PMID:28115299)

Record type: Article

Abstract

Background: Developing accessible Web-based materials to support diabetes self-management in people with lower levels of health literacy is a continuing challenge.

Objective: The objective of this international study was to develop a Web-based intervention promoting physical activity among people with type 2 diabetes to determine whether audiovisual presentation and interactivity (quizzes, planners, tailoring) could help to overcome the digital divide by making digital interventions accessible and effective for people with all levels of health literacy. This study also aimed to determine whether these materials can improve health literacy outcomes for people with lower levels of health literacy and also be effective for people with higher levels of health literacy.

Methods: To assess the impact of interactivity and audiovisual features on usage, engagement, and health literacy outcomes, we designed two versions of a Web-based intervention (one interactive and one plain-text version of the same content) to promote physical activity in people with type 2 diabetes. We randomly assigned participants from the United Kingdom, Austria, Germany, Ireland, and Taiwan to either an interactive or plain-text version of the intervention in English, German, or Mandarin. Intervention usage was objectively recorded by the intervention software. Self-report measures were taken at baseline and follow-up (immediately after participants viewed the intervention) and included measures of health literacy, engagement (website satisfaction and willingness to recommend the intervention to others), and health literacy outcomes (diabetes knowledge, enablement, attitude, perceived behavioral control, and intention to undertake physical activity).

Results: In total, 1041 people took part in this study. Of the 1005 who completed health literacy information, 268 (26.67%) had intermediate or low levels of health literacy. The interactive intervention overall did not produce better outcomes than did the plain-text version. Participants in the plain-text intervention group looked at significantly more sections of the intervention (mean difference –0.47, 95% CI –0.64 to –0.30, P<.001), but this did not lead to better outcomes. Health literacy outcomes, including attitudes and intentions to engage in physical activity, significantly improved following the intervention for participants in both intervention groups. These improvements were similar across higher and lower health literacy levels and in all countries. Participants in the interactive intervention group had acquired more diabetes knowledge (mean difference 0.80, 95% CI 0.65-0.94, P<.001). Participants from both groups reported high levels of website satisfaction and would recommend the website to others.

Conclusions: Following established practice for simple, clear design and presentation and using a person-based approach to intervention development, with in-depth iterative feedback from users, may be more important than interactivity and audiovisual presentations when developing accessible digital health interventions to improve health literacy outcomes.

ClinicalTrial: International Standard Randomized Controlled Trial Number (ISRCTN): 43587048; http://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN43587048. (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6nGhaP9bv)

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Accepted/In Press date: 23 November 2016
e-pub ahead of print date: 23 January 2017
Published date: 23 January 2017
Organisations: Psychology

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 405666
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/405666
ISSN: 1438-8871
PURE UUID: 3c9033a7-fba3-4a96-9779-60fcfb99662e
ORCID for Ingrid Muller: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0001-9341-6133
ORCID for Beth Stuart: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0001-5432-7437
ORCID for Paul Little: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0003-3664-1873
ORCID for Lucy Yardley: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-3853-883X

Catalogue record

Date deposited: 10 Feb 2017 11:59
Last modified: 12 Jul 2024 01:46

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Contributors

Author: Ingrid Muller ORCID iD
Author: Alison Rowsell
Author: Beth Stuart ORCID iD
Author: Victoria Hayter
Author: Paul Little ORCID iD
Author: Kristin Ganahl
Author: Gabriel Muller
Author: Gerardine Doyle
Author: Peter Chang
Author: Courtney Lyles
Author: Donald Nutbeam
Author: Lucy Yardley ORCID iD

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