Geotagged Social Networking for Physical Disabilities

(RECTECHIV Trial)

Age: 18 - 65

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: University of Alabama at Birmingham

Disqualifiers: Cognitive problems, Cardiovascular event, Severe pulmonary, others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 18

Duration: 12 weeks

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial tests a new social networking system designed to help people with physical disabilities find accessible places for physical activities. The goal is to break down barriers to exercise using crowdsourcing principles and personalized support. Participants will receive a Fitbit, access to a special website, and regular coaching calls to set goals and overcome challenges. This trial suits individuals aged 18 to 64 with mobility limitations due to a physical disability. As an unphased trial, it offers a unique opportunity to contribute to innovative solutions that enhance accessibility and support for those with physical disabilities.

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial information does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications.

What prior data suggests that the Person-Centered Geotagged Social Networking System is safe for people with physical disabilities?

Research shows that a social networking system designed for people with physical disabilities has been well-received in early trials. This system helps users find accessible information about community activities. Feedback has been positive, especially from those who found it useful for locating accessible resources.

No reports of negative effects have emerged from using the RecTech Match website or the social networking system. Since this trial involves digital tools and online resources, physical risks are absent. This suggests that the treatment is likely well-tolerated. Participants have found these tools helpful for setting and achieving their physical activity goals.

While specific safety data from these trials is lacking, the absence of negative reports suggests that this technology is safe to use. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Researchers are excited about the Geotagged Social Networking for Physical Disabilities trial because it explores innovative ways to enhance physical activity participation for individuals with disabilities. Unlike typical treatments that may involve direct therapy or medication, this approach uses a combination of a Fitbit device and a unique RecTech Match website to encourage and track physical activity. It leverages crowdsourcing principles and social networking to provide personalized support and goal-setting through health coaching. This method is particularly promising because it promotes self-management and community involvement, potentially offering a more engaging and sustainable way for individuals to stay active.

What evidence suggests that the Person-Centered Geotagged Social Networking System is effective for increasing physical activity in people with physical disabilities?

Research has shown that social networking tools using location data can help people with disabilities find exercise venues. In this trial, the intervention group will use the RecTech Match website. This platform builds on the success of the Activity Inclusion Mapping System (AIMS) by crowdsourcing information about accessible facilities and activities. Feedback from users and experts has been positive, suggesting it could help overcome exercise barriers for people with physical disabilities. By focusing on individual needs and local resources, this approach may improve access to exercise and encourage greater participation. ^{1 2 6 7 8}

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for people aged 18 to 64 with a self-reported physical disability that limits their mobility. It's not suitable for those who have trouble understanding instructions due to cognitive or linguistic issues, are currently pregnant, had a recent cardiovascular event, have severe pulmonary disease or renal failure, or any health condition exacerbation.

Inclusion Criteria

I have a physical disability that limits my ability to move around.

Exclusion Criteria

I am currently experiencing a worsening of my health condition.

I do not have severe lung or kidney disease.

I have had a heart-related event in the last 6 months.

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Baseline Assessment

Baseline assessments are completed by all participants before randomization

1 week

Treatment

Participants receive either the RecTech Match intervention with tele-coaching support or access to generic information on the NCHPAD website

12 weeks

Weekly calls for the first 6 weeks, bi-weekly calls for the next 6 weeks

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for feedback and outcomes post-intervention

12 weeks

Survey packets delivered at 12 and 24 weeks

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Crowdsourcing Principles
• Person-Centered Geotagged Social Networking System
• RecTech Match Website

Trial Overview

The trial is testing the RecTech Match Website – a social networking system designed to help individuals with physical disabilities find accessible community-based exercise and recreation programs by overcoming various barriers.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: intervention Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

The intervention group will be mailed a Fitbit device and provided access to the RecTech Match website. Intervention participants will receive weekly calls for the first 6 weeks, and a call every other week for the following 6 weeks (9 in total) from a health coach to discuss progress, facilitate setting physical activity goals, and help mitigate obstacles to participate in physical activity in the community. Participants will be free to access the features and resources of the website. The Fitbit data will be collected on an ongoing basis and the participants will receive daily texts asking them to rate the amount of physical activity for the day.

Group II: Control Active Control 1 Intervention

The control participants will not have access to the RecTech Match website; however, control participants will be directed to generic information available on the NCHPAD website, which includes the same information but is not delivered through RecTechMatch.com.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

University of Alabama at Birmingham

Lead Sponsor

Trials

1,677

Recruited

2,458,000+

Published Research Related to This Trial

The CAP4Access project successfully developed a method to construct detailed sidewalk geometries using GPS data from wheelchair users, significantly enhancing OpenStreetMap for better wheelchair routing.

In a case study in Heidelberg, the constructed sidewalk network matched 96% of an official reference dataset, achieving a low positional accuracy error of 0.93 meters, demonstrating the efficacy of the data mining approach.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Enrichment of OpenStreetMap Data Completeness with Sidewalk Geometries Using Data Mining Techniques. Mobasheri, A., Huang, H., Degrossi, LC., et al.[2018]

Involving patients with low back pain in identifying research topics is feasible using both a patient registry and an online crowdsourcing platform, with each method yielding valuable insights into research priorities.

Both approaches highlighted a preference for research topics focused on diagnosis and treatment, indicating that patient-centered research can effectively guide future studies in this area.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Prioritizing research topics: a comparison of crowdsourcing and patient registry. Truitt, AR., Monsell, SE., Avins, AL., et al.[2018]

Crowdsourcing (CS) can enhance patient-centered care (PCC) by allowing patients to contribute their ideas and perspectives, which can lead to better health policy decisions and improved clinical outcomes.

While CS is a cost-effective and quick method for gathering insights, it also has potential pitfalls such as bias and data quality issues, which health professionals need to be aware of to ensure effective implementation.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The potential of crowdsourcing to improve patient-centered care. Weiner, M.[2022]

The EasenAccess app is designed to empower people with disabilities (PwD) by providing wheelchair-accessibility information, communication tools, and SOS signals, enhancing their independence and mobility in urban environments like New Delhi.

The app not only aids PwD in navigating their surroundings but also serves as a valuable resource for the government to identify and improve accessibility gaps, thereby facilitating better rehabilitation and support services for wheelchair users.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Accessibility information in New Delhi for "EasenAccess" Android-based app for persons with disability: an observational study. Agarwal, Y.[2021]

A study involving 7593 self-reported patients with Crohn's disease used an AI platform to analyze treatment effectiveness, finding that infliximab (IFX) was the most effective treatment, followed by bowel surgery and adalimumab (ADA).

The research highlights the potential of crowdsourcing and AI in gathering patient-reported outcomes, which can assist both patients and clinicians in making informed treatment decisions for chronic conditions like Crohn's disease.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Self-reported treatment effectiveness for Crohn's disease using a novel crowdsourcing web-based platform. Engel, T., Dotan, E., Synett, Y., et al.[2023]

A study involving 17 manual wheelchair users identified 19 key usability criteria for Geospatial Assistive Technologies (GATs), with 15 being deemed most important, including ease of use, comfort, and information content.

Smartphones were preferred over other devices like smartwatches and augmented reality glasses for navigation tasks, highlighting the need for features like Bluetooth connectivity and hands-free operation to enhance usability and transportability for wheelchair users.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Geospatial assistive technologies: potential usability criteria identified from manual wheelchair users. Prémont, MÉ., Vincent, C., Mostafavi, MA.[2021]

Social networking sites are transforming how patients communicate about diseases and treatments, allowing for easier sharing of experiences and support among patients and caregivers.

The authors propose a new definition of patient-reported information (PRI) that goes beyond traditional patient-reported outcomes (PRO), suggesting that this emergent data can significantly influence healthcare decision-making at both individual and population levels.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Patient-reported outcomes, patient-reported information: from randomized controlled trials to the social web and beyond. Baldwin, M., Spong, A., Doward, L., et al.[2021]

The study introduces a new geospatial assistive navigation technology aimed at improving mobility for people with disabilities, particularly those using manual wheelchairs in urban settings.

This technology addresses the limitations of traditional urban design, which often overlooks the needs of individuals with disabilities, thereby enhancing their social participation and mobility in city environments.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

A Novel Geospatial Assistive Navigation Technology for Seamless Multimodal Mobility of Wheelchair Users. Mostafavi, MA., Bahloul, M., Boucher, N., et al.[2023]

A new questionnaire, the Evaluation of Satisfaction with Geospatial Assistive Technology (ESGAT), was developed and validated to assess satisfaction among manual wheelchair users, showing a moderate overall satisfaction score of 3.9 out of 5 with the Google Maps Pedestrian routing tool.

While the GAT was effective in helping 87.5% of users reach their destination, it was not efficient, as 37.5% of users required additional help, highlighting areas for improvement in navigation assistance and usability features.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Evaluation of satisfaction with geospatial assistive technology (ESGAT): a methodological and usability study. Vincent, C., Girard, R., Dumont, F., et al.[2022]

Crowdsourcing leverages the collective intelligence of online communities and has the potential to significantly enhance public health initiatives, although its full capabilities have not yet been fully utilized in this field.

The paper outlines four specific crowdsourcing approaches—knowledge discovery, distributed human intelligence tasking, broadcast search, and peer-vetted creative production—highlighting various applications that could improve public health science and practice.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Crowdsourcing applications for public health. Brabham, DC., Ribisl, KM., Kirchner, TR., et al.[2022]

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