Study protocol of the Health4Life initiative: a cluster randomised controlled trial of an eHealth school-based program targeting multiple lifestyle risk behaviours among young Australians
Katrina E Champion,
Lexine Stapinski,
Maree Teesson,
Leanne Hides,
David R Lubans,
Belinda Parmenter,
Louise Birrell,
Katherine Mills,
Tim Slade,
Nicola C Newton,
Frances Kay-Lambkin,
Cath Chapman,
Louise Thornton,
Matthew Sunderland,
Lauren A Gardner,
Nyanda McBride,
Steve Allsop,
Bonnie J Spring,
Scarlett Smout,
Bridie Osman,
Emma L Barrett,
Louise Mewton
Affiliations
Katrina E Champion
The Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Lexine Stapinski
Maree Teesson
The Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia
Leanne Hides
School of Psychology, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
David R Lubans
College of Human and Social Futures, University of Newcastle Australia, Callaghan, New South Wales, Australia
Belinda Parmenter
6 Department of Exercise Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
Louise Birrell
Katherine Mills
The Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Tim Slade
Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Nicola C Newton
The Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Frances Kay-Lambkin
Priority Research Centre for Brain and Mental Health, The University of Newcastle Faculty of Health and Medicine, Callaghan, New South Wales, Australia
Cath Chapman
The Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia
Louise Thornton
The Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Matthew Sunderland
The Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Lauren A Gardner
The Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Nyanda McBride
National Drug Research Institute, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
Steve Allsop
National Drug Research Institute, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
Bonnie J Spring
Preventive Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
Scarlett Smout
The Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Bridie Osman
The Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Emma L Barrett
Louise Mewton
Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing, University of New South Wales, Randwick, New South Wales, Australia
Introduction Lifestyle risk behaviours, including alcohol use, smoking, poor diet, physical inactivity, poor sleep (duration and/or quality) and sedentary recreational screen time (‘the Big 6’), are strong determinants of chronic disease. These behaviours often emerge during adolescence and co-occur. School-based interventions have the potential to address risk factors prior to the onset of disease, yet few eHealth school-based interventions target multiple behaviours concurrently. This paper describes the protocol of the Health4Life Initiative, an eHealth school-based intervention that concurrently addresses the Big 6 risk behaviours among secondary school students.Methods and analysis A multisite cluster randomised controlled trial will be conducted among year 7 students (11–13 years old) from 72 Australian schools. Stratified block randomisation will be used to assign schools to either the Health4Life intervention or an active control (health education as usual). Health4Life consists of (1) six web-based cartoon modules and accompanying activities delivered during health education (once per week for 6 weeks), and a smartphone application (universal prevention), and (2) additional app content, for students engaging in two or more risk behaviours when they are in years 8 and 9 (selective prevention). Students will complete online self-report questionnaires at baseline, post intervention, and 12, 24 and 36 months after baseline. Primary outcomes are consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages, moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, sleep duration, sedentary recreational screen time and uptake of alcohol and tobacco use.Ethics and dissemination This study has been approved by the University of Sydney (2018/882), NSW Department of Education (SERAP no. 2019006), University of Queensland (2019000037), Curtin University (HRE2019-0083) and relevant Catholic school committees. Results will be presented to schools and findings disseminated via peer-reviewed journals and scientific conferences. This will be the first evaluation of an eHealth intervention, spanning both universal and selective prevention, to simultaneously target six key lifestyle risk factors among adolescents.Trial registration number Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ACTRN12619000431123), 18 March 2019.
