Are effects from a brief multiple behavior intervention for college students sustained over time?
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Published on: September 19, 2014
Chudley E Chad Werch1, Michele J Moore, Hui Bian
1Addictive and Health Behaviors Research Institute, Department of Health Education and Behavior, University of Florida, Jacksonville, FL 32256, USA. cwerch@hhp.ufl.edu
Objective:
This study examined whether 3-month outcomes of a brief image-based multiple behavior intervention on health habits and health-related quality of life of college students were sustained at 12-month follow-up without further intervention.
Methods:
A randomized control trial was conducted with 303 undergraduates attending a public university in southeastern US. Participants were randomized to receive either a brief intervention or usual care control, with baseline, 3-month, and 12-month data collected during fall of 2007.
Results:
A significant omnibus MANOVA interaction effect was found for health-related quality of life, p=0.01, with univariate interaction effects showing fewer days of poor spiritual health, social health, and restricted recent activity, p's<0.05, for those receiving the brief intervention. Significant group by time interaction effects were found for driving after drinking, p=0.04, and moderate exercise, p=0.04, in favor of the brief intervention. Effect sizes typically increased over time and were small except for moderate size effects for social health-related quality of life.
Conclusion:
This study found that 3-month outcomes from a brief image-based multiple behavior intervention for college students were partially sustained at 12-month follow-up.
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