Step it up: A multicomponent intervention to increase stair use in a university residence building

Purpose. Examine the effects of a multicomponent intervention on stair usage. Design. Nonrandomized controlled intervention. Setting. Two multistory university dormitories. Subjects. Total of 5711 direct observations of university dormitory residents. Intervention. The 2-week "Step It UP"...

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Main Authors: Howie, Erin, Young, D.
Format: Journal Article
Published: American Journal of Health Promotion, Inc. 2011
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/65836
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author Howie, Erin
Young, D.
author_facet Howie, Erin
Young, D.
author_sort Howie, Erin
building Curtin Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description Purpose. Examine the effects of a multicomponent intervention on stair usage. Design. Nonrandomized controlled intervention. Setting. Two multistory university dormitories. Subjects. Total of 5711 direct observations of university dormitory residents. Intervention. The 2-week "Step It UP" intervention used poster prompts and fun/ competitive challenges with incentives to encourage residents to take the stairs instead of the elevators. Measures. Ascending stair and elevator use was directly observed and coded for gender at high traffic times in intervention and control dormitories for 14 nonconsecutive hours over 1 week each at baseline, midintervention, and 1 week postintervention. Analysis. The proportions of ascending stair and elevator users were compared using ? 2 analyses. Results. Baseline stair use was equal between intervention and control dormitories (24.9% and 27.8%, respectively; ? 2 [1, N = 1849] = .08; p = .77). Stair use significantly increased from baseline in the intervention dormitory to 33.24% (? 2 [1, N = 2192] = 18.44; p, .001) compared with no change in the control. Stair use returned to baseline in the intervention dormitory at postintervention (25.4%; ? 2 [1, N = 2297] = .08; p = .78). There were no significant differences between genders. Conclusion. This multicomponent, short-duration intervention significantly increased stair usage in a university dormitory relative to the control but was unable to sustain the increase when prompts were removed. Campaigns to sustain stair use are needed. Formative assessment is required to determine what combinations of components may yield the most cost-effective approach for future interventions. Copyright © 2011 by American Journal of Health Promotion, Inc.
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spelling curtin-20.500.11937-658362018-02-19T08:06:17Z Step it up: A multicomponent intervention to increase stair use in a university residence building Howie, Erin Young, D. Purpose. Examine the effects of a multicomponent intervention on stair usage. Design. Nonrandomized controlled intervention. Setting. Two multistory university dormitories. Subjects. Total of 5711 direct observations of university dormitory residents. Intervention. The 2-week "Step It UP" intervention used poster prompts and fun/ competitive challenges with incentives to encourage residents to take the stairs instead of the elevators. Measures. Ascending stair and elevator use was directly observed and coded for gender at high traffic times in intervention and control dormitories for 14 nonconsecutive hours over 1 week each at baseline, midintervention, and 1 week postintervention. Analysis. The proportions of ascending stair and elevator users were compared using ? 2 analyses. Results. Baseline stair use was equal between intervention and control dormitories (24.9% and 27.8%, respectively; ? 2 [1, N = 1849] = .08; p = .77). Stair use significantly increased from baseline in the intervention dormitory to 33.24% (? 2 [1, N = 2192] = 18.44; p, .001) compared with no change in the control. Stair use returned to baseline in the intervention dormitory at postintervention (25.4%; ? 2 [1, N = 2297] = .08; p = .78). There were no significant differences between genders. Conclusion. This multicomponent, short-duration intervention significantly increased stair usage in a university dormitory relative to the control but was unable to sustain the increase when prompts were removed. Campaigns to sustain stair use are needed. Formative assessment is required to determine what combinations of components may yield the most cost-effective approach for future interventions. Copyright © 2011 by American Journal of Health Promotion, Inc. 2011 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/65836 10.4278/ajhp.091106-ARB-357 American Journal of Health Promotion, Inc. restricted
spellingShingle Howie, Erin
Young, D.
Step it up: A multicomponent intervention to increase stair use in a university residence building
title Step it up: A multicomponent intervention to increase stair use in a university residence building
title_full Step it up: A multicomponent intervention to increase stair use in a university residence building
title_fullStr Step it up: A multicomponent intervention to increase stair use in a university residence building
title_full_unstemmed Step it up: A multicomponent intervention to increase stair use in a university residence building
title_short Step it up: A multicomponent intervention to increase stair use in a university residence building
title_sort step it up: a multicomponent intervention to increase stair use in a university residence building
url http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/65836