Abstract
BackgroundLow physical activity levels can negatively affect the health of nurses. Given the low physical activity levels reported by nurses, there is a clear need for brief and economical interventions designed to increase physical activity levels in this population. We developed a web-based intervention that used motivational strategies to increase nurses’ physical activity levels. The intervention provided the nurses with feedback from an activity monitor coupled with a web-based individual, friend, or team physical activity challenge.ObjectiveIn this parallel-group randomized trial, we examine whether nurses’ motivation at baseline predicted changes in objectively measured physical activity levels during the 6-week intervention.MethodsThe participants were 76 nurses (n=74, 97% female; mean age 46, SD 11 years) randomly assigned to 1 of 3 physical activity challenge conditions: (1) individual, (2) friend, or (3) team. The nurses completed a web-based questionnaire designed to assess motivational regulations for physical activity levels before the intervention and wore a Tractivity activity monitor before and during the 6-week intervention. We analyzed data using multilevel modeling for repeated measures.ResultsThe nurses’ physical activity levels increased (linear estimate=10.30, SE 3.15; P=.001), but the rate of change decreased over time (quadratic estimate=−2.06, SE 0.52; P<.001). External and identified regulations (ß=−2.08 to 11.55; P=.02 to .04), but not intrinsic and introjected regulations (ß=−.91 to 6.29; P=.06 to .36), predicted changes in the nurses’ physical activity levels.ConclusionsOur findings provide evidence that an intervention that incorporates self-monitoring and physical activity challenges can be generally effective in increasing nurses’ physical activity levels in the short term. They also suggest that drawing solely on organismic integration theory to predict changes in physical activity levels among the nurses participating in web-based worksite interventions may have been insufficient. Future research should examine additional personal (eg, self-efficacy) and occupational factors (eg, shift length and shift type) that influence physical activity levels to identify potential targets for intervention among nurses.Trial RegistrationClinicalTrials.gov NCT04524572; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04524572
Highlights
BackgroundEngaging in regular physical activity can improve cardiovascular function and musculoskeletal strength, reduce the risk of morbidity and mortality due to chronic disease, and decrease the risk of mental health problems such as anxiety and depression [1,2,3]
They suggest that drawing solely on organismic integration theory to predict changes in physical activity levels among the nurses participating in web-based worksite interventions may have been insufficient
Using data collected as part of a trial evaluating changes in physical activity levels and the impact on cardiovascular risk factors among nurses participating in a web-based worksite intervention [40], we examined whether the nurses’ motivation predicted changes in their objectively measured daily physical activity levels
Summary
BackgroundEngaging in regular physical activity can improve cardiovascular function and musculoskeletal strength, reduce the risk of morbidity and mortality due to chronic disease, and decrease the risk of mental health problems such as anxiety and depression [1,2,3]. Engaging in physical activity can reduce work-related stress and the incidence of burnout [4,5,6,7]—a major problem for health care workers [8]. Many investigators have shown that nurses, who represent 48% of the health care workforce [9], report high levels of work-related stress and burnout, low levels of job satisfaction, and poor health [10,11,12,13,14]. Worksite interventions seeking to increase nurses’ physical activity levels have the potential to improve employee performance, lower employee health care costs, and decrease absenteeism rates, which are higher in nurses than in other occupational groups [20]. The intervention provided the nurses with feedback from an activity monitor coupled with a web-based individual, friend, or team physical activity challenge
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