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NCT Number: NCT06862427

A Multi-language Smartphone-based Healthy Lifestyle Intervention for Firefighters

The goal of this cluster randomized controlled trial is to evaluate the effects of a smartphone-based Healthy Lifestyle (HLS) intervention on firefighters' mental and physical health in firefighters in Tainan, Taiwan. The main questions it aims to answer are:

* Does the Traditional Chinese version of the HLS mobile App improve firefighters' mental and physical health compared to usual care? * Can the intervention effectively promote a healthy lifestyle and reduce the risk of chronic non-communicable diseases among firefighters?

Researchers will compare firefighters receiving the smartphone-based HLS intervention to those receiving usual care to determine whether the intervention leads to improved health and fitness outcomes over 3 to 6 months.

Participants will:

* Use the Traditional Chinese version of the HLS mobile App, originally developed at Cambridge Health Alliance, Harvard Medical School, and adapted for firefighters in Taiwan. * Be randomly assigned to either the intervention group (HLS App) or the control group (usual care). * Undergo health and fitness assessments at baseline and at 3 to 6 months post-intervention.

Anticipated outcomes are improvements in mental and physical health among firefighters receiving the intervention compared to the control group.

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Key information

Age range

20 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Career firefighters who are older than or equal 20 years old

Exclusion criteria

  • Career firefighters who are younger than 20 years old
  • Firefighters who are retired or are volunteer firefighters.

Treatment and study plan

Healthy Lifestyle Application (Traditional Chinese Version)

Behavioral

A firefighter-oriented Healthy Lifestyle Application (Traditional Chinese Version)

Primary outcomes

  1. Blood Pressure

    Time frame: 3 to 6 months after the intervention starts

    The participants will maintain a quiet sitting posture for at least five minutes, and the measurement will be taken on a healthy arm without any prior surgery or disease. The blood pressure measuring device will be calibrated and will automatically take three measurements, with a one-minute interval between each. The average blood pressure value will be recorded.

  2. Depressive Symptoms

    Time frame: Before the intervention and 3 to 6 months after the intervention starts

    The participants will be asked to complete questionnaires measuring depressive symptoms, which includes the Beck Depression Inventory for Primary Care (BDI-PC) and the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9). Questions related to self-harm thoughts have been removed from these instruments to eliminate the need for further referrals. Higher scores indicate greater depressive symptoms.

  3. Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms

    Time frame: Before the intervention and 3 to 6 months after the intervention starts

    The participants will be asked to complete a Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist (PCL-5) questionnaire which measures posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms. Questions related to self-harm thoughts have been removed from these instruments to eliminate the need for further referrals. Higher scores indicate greater depressive symptoms.

  4. Body Mass Index (BMI)

    Time frame: Before the intervention and 3 to 6 months after the intervention starts

    The body mass index (BMI) will be calculated by dividing the weight in kilograms by the square of the height in meters. The height will be self-reported before the intervention and measured to the nearest 0.1 cm while standing upright using a tape measure 3 to 6 months post-intervention, and the weight will be self-reported before the intervention, and measured to the nearest 0.1 kg with a weighing scale 3 to 6 months post-intervention.

  5. Smoking Habit

    Time frame: Before the intervention and 3 to 6 months after the intervention starts

    The investigators will ask if the participants had quit or stopped using tobacco in a questionnaire to verify their smoking habits.

  6. Mediterranean Diet Pattern

    Time frame: Before the intervention and 3 to 6 months after the intervention starts

    The investigators will utilize a Traditional Chinese version of the Mediterranean Diet Score (MDS), consisting of 14 binary questions to determine adherence to the Mediterranean diet pattern.

  7. Overall Physical Activity Levels

    Time frame: Before the intervention and 3 to 6 months after the intervention starts

    The investigators will assess overall physical activity levels over the past 6 months using a Chinese version of a validated physical activity rating (PA-R) questionnaire which our team translated.

  8. Total weekly hours spent sitting

    Time frame: Before the intervention and 3 to 6 months after the intervention starts

    The investigators will ask the participant with the question "Indicate the total number of hours sitting per week"

  9. Average daily hours of sleep

    Time frame: Before the intervention and 3 to 6 months after the intervention starts

    The investigators will ask the participant with the question "Please indicate the total hours of actual sleep in a typical 24-hour period in week"

  10. Frequency of siestas per week

    Time frame: Before the intervention and 3 to 6 months after the intervention starts

    The investigators will ask the participant with the question "How many times do you take a nap per week?"

  11. Glycated Hemoglobin

    Time frame: 3 to 6 months after the intervention starts

    Biochemical parameters will be measured by the cobas b 101 blood testing system (F. Hoffmann-La Roche AG, Basel, Switzerland) with the participants fingertip blood after a 8-hour fasting.

  12. Lipid Profile

    Time frame: 3 to 6 months after the intervention starts

    Biochemical parameters will be measured by the cobas b 101 blood testing system (F. Hoffmann-La Roche AG, Basel, Switzerland) with the participants fingertip blood after a 8-hour fasting.

  13. C-reactive protein(CRP)

    Time frame: 3 to 6 months after the intervention starts

    Biochemical parameters will be measured by the cobas b 101 blood testing system (F. Hoffmann-La Roche AG, Basel, Switzerland) with the participants fingertip blood after a 8-hour fasting.

  14. Physical Performance

    Time frame: In the latter half of 2025

    The participants will provide their semi-annual evaluation reports, including performance metrics in standing long jump, overhead back toss, deadlift, cliffhanger pull-up, 6-meter out-and-back run, farmer's walk, and 1,500-meter run

Secondary outcomes

  1. NT-proBNP

    Time frame: 3 to 6 months after the intervention starts

    Biochemical parameters will be measured by the Cobas h 232 blood testing system (F. Hoffmann-La Roche AG, Basel, Switzerland) with the fingertip blood of participants with hypertension.

Study contacts

Contact information is provided by the study sponsor or research team.

Chen-Yu Huang

CONTACT

[email protected]

+8862-28267000 ext. 65036

Hsiao-Jou Yu

CONTACT

[email protected]

+8862-28267000 ext. 65109

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University

Other

Collaborators

  • National Cheng-Kung University Hospital

Registry information

Official study title

A Multi-language Smartphone-based Healthy Lifestyle Intervention for Firefighters: A Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial

Important dates

Study start
2025
Primary completion
2025
Study completion
2025
First posted
Mar 6, 2025
Registry last updated
Mar 20, 2025

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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