Robot-based Intervention to Improve Physical Activity in Older Adults
Trial statusRecruiting
Trial phaseNot applicable
Trial typeInterventional
Biological sexAll
Age60+
SponsorUniversity of Ottawa
About this trial
Physical inactivity is considered a global pandemic negatively impacting the health of over 60% of older adults in America. Interventions aimed at improving physical activity in older adults focus on training reflective processes such as providing information on health benefits of physical activity. These interventions generally find that participants improved their intentions to be physically active rather than supporting actual change in behaviours to become physically active.
There is growing support for the idea that human behaviour is the result of a combination of quick automatic processes and slower reflective processes. Interventional studies have used cognitive bias modification tasks that target the quick automatic processes to retrain participant's bias. Such studies find that participant's bias towards diet, alcohol, and phobias can be altered using these cognitive bias modification tasks.
In this study, the investigators developed a new training task using a robotic device that aims to retrain automatic bias towards physical activity and sedentary behaviours. The robotic device allows greater immersive environments for participants to interact with and be more engaged with the cognitive bias modification task. This interventional study is testing whether this new robot-based training and the protocol for assessing physical activity is feasible for retraining older adults' bias towards physical activity and sedentary behaviour. Participants will be examined on their daily physical activity using an accelerometer, their physical ability using functional tests, and their perceptions on physical activity using questionnaires. To determine whether this protocol is feasible, the investigators will examine participant recruitment and retention rates.
Eligibility criteria
This trial does not accept healthy volunteersQualifiers
60 years of age or older
Able to walk
Able to communicate in English
Able to travel to the University of Ottawa Lees Campus
Disqualifiers
Diagnosed neurological or psychiatric disorder
Impaired motor function of the upper limbs
Unable to understand task instructions
Trial design
Design model
Parallel
Treatments tested in this trial
The jog or ground go no go task for retraining automatic bias
DeviceRecruited participants will be performing the JOGGNG Task on the Kinarm Endpoint Laboratory. This task requires participants to control a robotic handle to manipulate a virtual avatar that looks as if it is jogging across a field. During the jogging, a frisbee will appear and quickly move towards the avatar, eventually tilting clockwise or counterclockwise. Participants are required to either reach quickly to grab the frisbee from the air during clockwise tilts or to not move during counterclockwise tilts. This tilt/movement associated is reversed to control for a potential bias in tilt angle and movement. An image of physical activity or sedentary behaviour will appear inside of the frisbee but participants are not told that it is associated with any of the tilts. Each trial consists of one frisbee and participants will complete a total of 3 blocks of 360 trials each which will take approximately 30 minutes to complete.
Treatment groups
40 Participants
are divided into 2 treatment groupsGroup A: Interventional Group: Responses Biased towards Visual StimulusExperimental treatment 1 intervention
Group B: Control Group: Responses Randomly Assigned to Visual StimulusSham comparator 1 intervention
Trial outcomes
Primary outcomes
1
Determinants of Protocol Feasibility: Recruitment Rate and Retention Rate
The main purpose of this study is to determine whether the intervention protocol is feasible and thus the primary outcomes are recruitment rates, retention rates, and reasons for study dropout.
Time frame
From enrollment to the end of recruitment at 7 monthsSecondary outcomes
1
Actigraph wGT3X-BT accelerometers for measuring daily step count
Participants will wear the a small research grade accelerometer on their right hip with support hardware supplied by the researchers to measure their daily step count. As a key measure of physical activity, this device will be worn for 1 week before intervention, after intervention, and once more 1 month after the intervention.
Time frame
From enrollment to the end of recruitment at 7 months2
Approach Avoidance Task
The manikin approach avoidance task has been previously used to determine automatic attitudes towards physical activity and sedentary behaviour. It is a laptop-based task where participants move an avatar towards or away from an image of physical activity or sedentary behaviour. The task measures the reaction time that participants respond to each image type to determine whether they have biased tendencies towards a certain image.
Time frame
From enrollment to the end of recruitment at 7 months3
6 Minute Walk Test
The 6 Minute Walk Test is a common measure to assess walking ability. The test is conducted by having the participant walk as far as possible on a 30m flat indoor course for a period of 6 minutes. Standardized encouragement will be provided at each minute. Total distance walked (meters) in 6 minutes will be documented. The major outcome is the distance walked during the 6 minutes.
Time frame
From enrollment to the end of recruitment at 7 months4
Hand Dynamometer for Grip Strength
Grip strength will be assessed with the JAMAR Hand Dynamometer. Participants will perform the test using their reported dominant hand in a seated position with their elbow flexed 90 degrees. Two tests would be performed by each participant and the higher value (Kilogram\*Force) will be recorded as hand grip strength.
Time frame
From enrollment to the end of recruitment at 7 monthsSponsors and contacts
Click on the lead sponsor to view all of their trials.
University of Ottawa
Lead sponsor
Banting Research Foundation
Collaborator
Mitacs
Collaborator
Perley Health
Collaborator
Source ClinicalTrials.gov