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317409
A community-based feasibility study of an in-language mobile phone application to promote physical activity among Asian Americans


Wednesday, November 4, 2015

Filmer Yu, BA, MPH, Division of General Internal Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
Jane Jih, MD, MPH, MAS, Division of General Internal Medicine, UCSF, San Francisco, CA
Janice Y. Tsoh, PhD, Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
Ginny Gildengorin, PhD, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
Ching Wong, BS, Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
Hy Lam, B.S., Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
Yoshimi Fukuoka, RN, PhD, Institute for Health & Aging, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
Tung T. Nguyen, MD, Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, and Asian American Research Center on Health (ARCH), San Francisco, CA
Background: There are few in-language interventions to increase physical activity among Asian Americans who have low rates of meeting physical activity guidelines.

Objective: To assess the feasibility of an in-language mobile phone application with pedometer intervention to promote physical activity in Chinese, Filipino and Vietnamese Americans.

Methods: Participants were recruited for a 35-day study through multi-lingual flyers and mailings. A pre and post survey assessed sociodemographics, weight, blood pressure, physical activity levels and barriers, and sources of social support. All participants received the mobile phone application available in Chinese, English, Tagalog or Vietnamese on an iOS platform, a pedometer, and a 20-minute face-to-face educational session. The application delivered daily messages to reinforce motivation, self-efficacy and adherence, and provided an interactive phone diary to record daily physical activity with instant reinforcing feedback. 

Results: Nineteen participants were enrolled (5 Chinese, 8 Filipinos and 6 Vietnamese). The mean age was 47 years old (range 29-70), 58% were female and 63% completed college. Almost all participants (95%) used a mobile phone at least once a week and 79% had never used a pedometer. The 35-day retention rate was 95%. Almost all participants (95%) used the pedometer for at least 8 hours daily. On average, participants used the application 31 out of the 35 days. At post intervention, the average daily total steps recorded by pedometer increased by 2,328 steps from baseline (p=0.01). Walking was the most commonly reported mode of physical activity.

Conclusion: Chinese, Filipino, and Vietnamese Americans in this pilot study were able to use and adhere to an in-language mobile phone intervention to increase physical activity over 35 days. Post-intervention, participants had a significant increase in the number of daily steps. This promising intervention should be tested in a large scale randomized control trial.

Learning Areas:

Chronic disease management and prevention
Implementation of health education strategies, interventions and programs

Learning Objectives:
Describe the design of an in-language mobile phone application to promote physical activity among 3 Asian American subgroups Discuss the impact of an in-language mobile phone application to increase physical activity

Keyword(s): Asian Americans, Physical Activity

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: Filmer Yu has been trained in an academic program where presentation skills are actively promoted as part of the program requirements. This poster presentation will be a great opportuity to further the skillset.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

Back to: 5012.0: APIC Poster Session III - Translational Research Addressing Asian American and/or Pacific Islander American Health