Long-Term Effects of an Internet-Mediated Pedometer-Based Walking Program for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease:...

Area of Science:

• Pulmonary Rehabilitation
• Digital Health Interventions
• Behavioral Medicine

Background:

• Physical activity (PA) is crucial for managing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
• Long-term adherence to PA interventions remains a challenge for individuals with COPD.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the 12-month effectiveness of an internet-mediated, pedometer-based walking intervention (Taking Healthy Steps) for COPD patients.
• To assess the impact of the intervention on health-related quality of life (HRQL) and daily step counts.

Main Methods:

• A randomized controlled trial involving 239 veterans with COPD, comparing an intervention group to a wait-list control.
• The intervention included daily pedometer use, weekly data uploads, and a website with goal setting, feedback, education, and a community forum.
• Health-related quality of life (HRQL) and daily step counts were primary and secondary outcomes, respectively, analyzed using linear mixed-effect models.

Main Results:

• No significant differences in HRQL or daily step counts were observed between groups at 12 months.
• Daily step count differences were significant at 4 months but diminished by 8-12 months.
• Pedometer adherence and website engagement within the intervention group significantly decreased over time.

Conclusions:

• The internet-mediated pedometer-based PA intervention was effective in the short term but did not sustain improvements in HRQL and step counts at 12 months.
• Declining adherence and engagement suggest a need for enhanced strategies to promote long-term behavior change in PA interventions for COPD.
• Future research should focus on optimizing intervention features to foster sustained engagement and long-term PA adherence in COPD management.