Comparing personally tailored video- and text-delivered web-based physical activity interventions-the medium and the message: An eye-tracking study

Abstract

Continued low adherence to physical activity recommendations illustrates the need to refine intervention strategies and increase their effectiveness. Web-based and computer-tailored physical activity interventions have shown promising (cost)-effectiveness, though little is known about the optimal way to deliver health-related information via the Internet. This research project explores the differences in website usage between participants exposed to an online text-tailored or video-tailored physical activity intervention; the content of the interventions was identical regardless of delivery mode. The mixed-methods approach developed for this research project included gathering data on participants demographics (computer-based survey), gaze duration (eye-tracking methodology), click stream analysis (eye-tracking methodology) and message recall (oral-structured interview). This process was established to gain insight into how participants would attend and recall learning after experiencing a personalised physical activity advice intervention. Of the 41 participants, those in the video group provided significant more attention to the physical activity feedback, in terms of gaze duration on the total screen (9.3 vs. 4.1 min; F(1,37) = 61.38 p 0. 001) and on the feedback area of the screen (7.6 vs. 3.6 min; F(1,37) = 32.7, p < 0.001). Participants in both groups had equal control over the message but only those in the text-based group choose to exercise it. No demographic differences were found, except for men who provided significantly less attention to the message; this was regardless of intervention group they belonged to (6.1 vs. 7.4 min; F(1,37) = 3.83 p =0.049). No between-group differences were recorded in terms of message recall and higher-order cognition immediately after receiving the intervention. The main message was recalled in both groups, but the details were largely forgotten and higher-order cognition was low. These results suggest that video-tailored messages are preferred, though more research is needed to optimise their impact so that recall and higher-order cognition are increased.