Leveraging insights from behavioral economics to improve mobility for adults with stroke: Design and rationale of the BE Mobile clinical trial

Physical inactivity post-stroke can negatively impact long-term health outcomes and contribute to cardiovascular deconditioning, muscle loss, and increased risk for recurrent stroke. The limited number of interventions designed to improve daily physical activity post-stroke have lacked precision in step goals, are resource intensive, and difficult to scale. The purpose of the Leveraging Insights from Behavioral Economics to Improve Mobility for Adults with Stroke (BE Mobile) trial is to examine the preliminary effectiveness of a novel gamification with social incentives intervention for improving physical activity post-stroke. This trial includes adults who have experienced an ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke ≥3 months prior to the time of recruitment who are randomized to a control or gamification arm. All participants receive a Fitbit Inspire 2 wearable device to quantify daily steps and complete a 2-week baseline run-in period followed by an 8-week intervention period. All participants select a daily step goal and the gamification arm is enrolled in a game with loss-framed points and levels to help participants achieve their daily step goal. Participants in the gamification arm also select a support partner who receives weekly updates on their progress in the game. The primary outcome is change in daily steps from baseline during the intervention period. The secondary outcome is difference in the proportion of days participants achieved their daily step goal. Results from this trial will inform future, larger studies that leverage insights from behavioral economics to help improve daily physical activity post-stroke. Trial registration: NCT #04607811.