TY - JOUR T1 - Randomised controlled trial of an augmented exercise referral scheme using web-based behavioural support for inactive adults with chronic health conditions: the e-coachER trial JF - British Journal of Sports Medicine JO - Br J Sports Med DO - 10.1136/bjsports-2020-103121 SP - bjsports-2020-103121 AU - Adrian Taylor AU - Rod S Taylor AU - Wendy Ingram AU - Sarah Gerard Dean AU - Kate Jolly AU - Nanette Mutrie AU - Jeff Lambert AU - Lucy Yardley AU - Adam Streeter AU - Colin Greaves AU - Chloe McAdam AU - Lisa Price AU - Nana Kwame Anokye AU - John Campbell Y1 - 2020/11/24 UR - http://bjsm.bmj.com/content/early/2020/11/24/bjsports-2020-103121.abstract N2 - Objective To determine whether adding web-based support (e-coachER) to an exercise referral scheme (ERS) increases objectively assessed physical activity (PA).Design Multicentre trial with participants randomised to usual ERS alone (control) or usual ERS plus e-coachER (intervention).Setting Primary care and ERS in three UK sites from 2015 to 2018.Participants 450 inactive ERS referees with chronic health conditions.Interventions Participants received a pedometer, PA recording sheets and a user guide for the web-based support. e-coachER interactively encouraged the use of the ERS and other PA options.Main outcome measures Primary and key secondary outcomes were: objective moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) minutes (in ≥10 min bouts and without bouts), respectively, after 12 months. Secondary outcomes were: other accelerometer-derived and self-reported PA measures, ERS attendance, EQ-5D-5L, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and beliefs about PA. All outcomes were collected at baseline, 4 and 12 months. Primary analysis was an intention to treat comparison between intervention and control arms at 12-month follow-up.Results There was no significant effect of the intervention on weekly MVPA at 12 months between the groups recorded in ≥10 min bouts (mean difference 11.8 min of MVPA, 95% CI: −2.1 to 26.0; p=0.10) or without bouts (mean difference 13.7 min of MVPA, 95% CI: −26.8 to 54.2; p=0.51) for 232 participants with usable data. There was no difference in the primary or secondary PA outcomes at 4 or 12 months.Conclusion Augmenting ERS referrals with web-based behavioural support had only a weak, non-significant effect on MVPA.Trial registration number ISRCTN15644451. ER -