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Active, Not Recruiting

NCT Number: NCT05736484

Randomized Clinical Trial to Improve Mobility After Hospitalization

The objective of this study is to test the feasibility of using behavioral economic interventions (gamification with social incentives) to increase physical activity after hospital discharge to reduce incident mobility disability among older adults.

Active, Not Recruiting

This study is active but is not currently recruiting participants.

Key information

Conditions

Hypertension Ambulatory Difficulty Behavior Cardiovascular Diseases Diabetes Diabetes Mellitus Endocrine System Diseases Glucose Metabolism Disorders Heart Diseases Heart Failure Metabolic Diseases Mobility Limitation Motor Activity Nutritional and Metabolic Diseases Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms Signs and Symptoms Vascular Diseases

Age range

50 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Blockley Hall

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19104, United States

About this study

MOVE ON is a 2-arm, randomized trial enrolling older adults 50 years or older with a recent hospitalization for hypertension, diabetes, and mild-moderate heart failure. The 52 week trial compares a control group wearing a wearable activity tracker to the intervention group that uses the same device and receives a supportive social incentive-based gamification intervention. The primary goal is to increase physical activity after discharge from the hospital to reduce incident mobility disability associated with acute illness and to reduce acute and post-acute care utilization.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

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

Inclusion criteria

  • Age 50 years or older
  • Admitted to the University of Pennsylvania Health System acute care hospital (Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Penn Presbyterian Medical Center, Pennsylvania Hospital, Lancaster General Health, Chester County Hospital, or Penn Medicine Princeton Medical Center) and discharged to home
  • Able to ambulate independently

Exclusion criteria

  • Inability to provide informed consent
  • Does not have daily access to a smartphone compatible with the wearable device and is not willing to use a device that the investigators can provide participants' with
  • Already enrolled in another physical activity study
  • Low mobility score indicating that the patient is not able to walk distances greater than 1000 steps/day independently
  • Any other medical conditions that would prohibit participation in a 6-month physical activity program
  • Unable to complete the baseline period (must have at least 4 out of 7 days of step data with minimum step count of 1000 steps/day)
  • Not willing to use the wearable device for the full duration of the study
  • Enrolled in hospice

Treatment and study plan

Social Support Gamification

Behavioral

Participants sign a pre-commitment contract agreeing to try their best to achieve their daily step goal. Over the 26-week intervention period, participants are endowed 70 points (10/day) weekly and informed they will lose 10 points each day goal is not met. Points are replenished at start of each week. At the end of each week, if the participant has 40 points or more, they will advance a level, or drop a level if they have less than 40 points. The levels include blue (lowest), bronze, silver, gold, platinum (highest). Participants select a family member or friend as a support partner to receive weekly email on participants' progress (points, game level, and average step count). Participants will also work with a virtual health coach by attending group sessions organized by them with other participants through video calls once a month to discuss ways to motivate participants to increase their physical activity.

Primary outcomes

  1. Change in mean daily step count from baseline to the end of the 26 week intervention period.

    Time frame: Baseline to 26 week intervention period (Weeks 1-26)

    The primary outcome of the study is the participants' change in mean daily steps from the baseline period to the end of the 26 week intervention period collected by Fitbit Inspire device.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Change in mean daily step count from baseline to the end of the 26 week follow-up period.

    Time frame: Baseline to 52 weeks- end of the study (Weeks 1-52)

    The secondary outcome will examine the change in participants' mean daily step counts from the baseline period to the end of the 26 week follow-up period after the end of the 26 week intervention period collected by the Fitbit device.

  2. Participants' mobility disability throughout the entire study (Baseline to end of study [52 weeks]).

    Time frame: Baseline to 26 and 52 weeks- end of the study (Weeks 1-52)

    The investigators will explore participant mobility disability; defined as the change in the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) mobility measure score (on a scale of 5- without any difficulty to 1- unable to do) from baseline to 26 and 52 weeks, adjusting for time and participant baseline characteristics.

  3. Participants' acute care utilization throughout the entire study (Baseline to end of study [52 weeks]).

    Time frame: Baseline to 26 and 52 weeks- end of the study (Weeks 1-52)

    The investigators will explore participants' acute care utilization; defined as the number of emergency department visits and hospitalizations that occur at 26 and 52 weeks, adjusting for time and participant baseline characteristics.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

University of Pennsylvania

Other

Collaborators

  • National Institute on Aging (NIA)

Registry information

Official study title

The MOVE ON Trial: A Randomized Trial of Gamification and Coaching to Improve Mobility After Hospitalization

Acronym: MOVE_ON

Important dates

Study start
2023
Primary completion
2026
Study completion
2026
First posted
Feb 21, 2023
Registry last updated
Apr 6, 2026

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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