Background: Remotely-delivered digital health interventions could support health behaviour change in middle-aged and older women with osteoporosis, and social media advertisements may be effective for recruiting participants to these interventions.
Methods: We are conducting a 6-month randomised controlled trial in 50 women aged ≥50 years currently prescribed anti-osteoporosis medication. Information (video/audio/text) on exercise, nutrition and medications for osteoporosis is delivered to participants via voice-activated Amazon Alexa Echo Show devices (intervention), or monthly emails (control). Facebook advertisements were targeted at users registered as women, aged ≥50 years and living in Australia, and these advertisements linked to a self-administered online form to initially assess eligibility. Potentially eligible respondents are being contacted for further screening and, if eligible, randomised to intervention or control following baseline assessments. Intervention group participants are provided with an Alexa device and instructed on using their voice to activate Alexa sessions on three days per week, as well as using natural language to respond to Alexa-delivered information and questions.
Results: Facebook advertisements costing $AUD1,000 were viewed by 60,425 users over one month (mean 2.1 times per user) and attracted 2,693 link clicks ($0.37 per click). Eligibility forms were completed by 207 women across all states and territories except Northern Territory, and 141 (68%) were potentially eligible and are being further screened. As of 15/8/2021, 40 women have enrolled and 22 (mean±SD age 65.7±7.4 years) have completed baseline assessments. Twelve women randomised to intervention to date have activated a total of 98 Alexa sessions (100% adherence) and provided a total of 1015 voice responses while interacting with Alexa-delivered exercise, nutrition and medication information.
Conclusions: Social media advertisements were cost-effective for recruiting middle-aged and older Australian women with osteoporosis into a remotely-delivered digital health trial. Initial data suggest Alexa is acceptable for delivering and collecting health behaviour information in this population.