? ? RESEARCH PROJECT: About 90% of people who develop cardiovascular disease have prior exposure to risk factors that could be targeted through lifestyle interventions. E-mail based walking programs that promote sustainable ecological supports for active lifestyles hold promise for cardiovascular disease risk-reduction, but few such programs have been developed or evaluated with objective outcomes. The purpose of this study is to conduct a randomized controlled trial to evaluate the effects of three walking programs: (1) Usual Care: walking information; (2) WalkLink: 12-week e-mail based walking program; and (3) WalkLink+: 12-week e-mail based walking program with ecological supports, among 220 sedentary adults with risk factors for cardiovascular disease recruited through primary care settings. Primary specific aims include: (1) To evaluate the effects of the three programs on change in aerobic fitness, blood pressure, body composition, body mass index, and moderate and vigorous walking and physical activity from baseline to posttest, and at 6-month follow-up; (2) To evaluate the effect of selected moderator/mediator variables on program outcomes, including: self-management skills (e.g., goal-setting, self-monitoring), social support (e.g., number of walking partners, social cues), and physical support (e.g., neighborhood walkability, physical cues). The proposed research builds upon an email-based walking program Dr. Rovniak previously conducted, and her current research in implementing ecological supports to promote AIDS prevention and tobacco control. ? ? CANDIDATE AND ENVIRONMENT: Liza S. Rovniak received her Ph.D. in Clinical Health Psychology in 2003. Her long-term goal is to launch an independent research career with emphasis on designing economically sustainable lifestyle change interventions to promote physical activity and reduce risk of cardiovascular disease. To achieve this goal, Dr. Rovniak proposes to complement her psychology training with population based public health approaches important for developing sustainable interventions through: (1) training at Dr. Mel Novell's Center for Behavioral Epidemiology and Community Health; (2) training at Dr. James Sallis' Active Living Research Center; and (3) completing an MPH at San Diego State University. ? ?
Sustainable physical activity programs are urgently needed, as 70% of U.S. adults are inactive. Email-based walking programs could be widely disseminated to reduce risk of cardiovascular disease. ? (End of Abstract) ? ? ?
| Rovniak, Liza S; Kong, Lan; Hovell, Melbourne F et al. (2016) Engineering Online and In-Person Social Networks for Physical Activity: A Randomized Trial. Ann Behav Med 50:885-897 |
| Rovniak, Liza S; Hovell, Melbourne F; Hofstetter, C Richard et al. (2010) Engaging community businesses in human immunodeficiency virus prevention: a feasibility study. Am J Health Promot 24:347-53 |
| Johnson-Kozlow, Marilyn; Roussos, Stergios; Rovniak, Liza et al. (2009) Colorectal cancer test use among Californians of Mexican origin: influence of language barriers. Ethn Dis 19:315-22 |
