Pilot of an Interactive Social Marketing Initiative to Improve Family Physical Activity among Parents with Preschoolers

Erica Doxzen, School of Public Health

Irina Iles, Department of Communication

Sarah Pomerantz, School of Public Health

Dr. Linda Aldoory, School of Public Health (Faculty Mentor)

Our Motivation

35.7% of adults and 15% of preschool-aged children in the US are obese

Physical activity can reduce the risk of obesity

Parents influence the activity levels of their preschool-aged children

Our Vision

VIRTUALSMS LIBRARY

Our Team

Parent (end user)What should we do

with our kids?

Do you want to be active outside or inside today? Text 1 for outside, 2 for inside.

2 [inside]

Move like your child’s favorite animal (a bird or a bunny?) while picking up toys together.

Our Motivation

FiA Priorities:

1. Credibility

2. InfoEquity

3. InfoTransfer

Creation and Research

Draft sample messages

Conduct 4 focus groups in

community settings (n=17)

Develop pilot message library

Deliver tailored messages in 7-day pilot test

Conduct interviews with

pilot test participants

(n=16)

Refine message library

This research was approved by the University of Maryland Institutional Review Board.

Focus Groups at a Glance

1 Wheaton, MD

5 Caucasian Participants

2 Hyattsville, MD

3 Hispanic English-Speaking Participants

3 Oxon Hill, MD

4 African-American Participants

4 Hyattsville, MD

5 Hispanic English-Speaking Participants

“I like the idea of reminding that that’s something you can

do, just jumping jacks or a quick game of hide and seek.” – Caucasian mother

“I don’t know what type of luxurious home you live in

but I don’t have many hiding spaces, so hide and seek would be over with extremely fast. I’m in a

one level rambler so there’s really nowhere to go.” – African-American

father

Pilot Test at a Glance

Participants received 7 days of interactive messages sent using Google Voice SMS

Interviews conducted by phone

“I didn't know if you guys specialize or study what kids like, but I loved how my daughter was so excited knowing we were going

to do an activity with the balloons – ‘Here Mommy, Here Mommy!” –

Hispanic mother

Outcomes and Impact: Credibility

Value of “curated” content • Opportunity to guide information seeking

Different beliefs about message content• Need to consider culturally appropriate

frames

Willingness to share information via text• Opportunity to get public health data in

real-time

Different information behaviors• Access to technology ≠ use of

technology

Different resources • “Pandora” model for adaptive

learning

Outcomes and Impact: InfoEquity

Interactive messaging works!• Hybrid system: automated + human to

human

Message tailoring works!• Additional tailoring factors: time of the day to

receive the message; current activity level of parent/child; locale

Texting fits into everyday life• SMS integration into “quantified self”

tracking dashboard

Outcomes and Impact: InfoTransfer

Next Steps

Messages Pilot message library refined message library

Technology Automated system to meet the specifications

found valuable during the pilot

Evaluation Rigorous study to assess impact of initiative on

parents’ attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors

THANK YOU!