Effectiveness of an interactive web-based health program for adults: a study protocol for three concurrent...

Area of Science:

• Digital Health
• Behavioral Science
• Preventive Medicine

Background:

• A healthy lifestyle is crucial for preventing chronic diseases and premature death.
• The Techniker health insurance fund provides an online health program, TK-HealthCoach, to support users in achieving health goals.
• These goals include increasing fitness, weight management, and smoking cessation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the long-term effectiveness of the web-based TK-HealthCoach program.
• To evaluate primary outcomes: increased physical activity, sustainable weight reduction, and smoking abstinence.
• To compare interactive online health programs against non-interactive controls.

Main Methods:

• Three interconnected randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were conducted for each health goal.
• Participants were allocated to either an interactive intervention group or a non-interactive control group.
• Data were collected via online questionnaires at baseline, post-intervention, and at 12-month follow-up.

Main Results:

• The study hypothesizes that participants using the online health programs will demonstrate improved health behaviors.
• Intervention groups are expected to show advantages in outcome variables compared to control groups.
• Enrollment for the RCTs began on January 1, 2020.

Conclusions:

• The TK-HealthCoach program is anticipated to positively impact users' health behaviors.
• The study expects to find significant benefits for the intervention groups across all health goals.
• Qualitative interviews will provide further insights into user experience and program satisfaction.