A pilot cluster randomised trial of electronic feedback, online and telephone support on multiple health behaviours among vocational education students

Introduction & Purpose: Despite vocational education students reporting high rates of health risk behaviors, no prior trials have addressed such behaviors in this population. We examined the effectiveness of providing vocational education students with electronic feedback and online and telephone services on smoking rates, risky alcohol use, fruit and vegetable intake and physical activity levels. Methods: At baseline, 100 Technical and Further Education classes were randomly assigned to: (i) an intervention group that received electronic feedback and referral to online and telephone support for each health behavior that did not meet Australian guidelines; or (ii) a no treatment control group. Logistic regression and linear regressions fit within a Generalized Estimating Equation framework tested for significant between-group differences in smoking, alcohol consumption per week, fruit per day, vegetables per day, and weekly physical activity. Results: Overall 968 students participated (consent rate=97.9%).Participants were 74% male, had a mean age of 22.6 years (SD=8.6)and 40% had completed Year 10 as their highest level of education. At baseline, 37.2% smoked tobacco, the mean standard drinks of alcohol per week was 11.4 (SD=19.2), mean serves of fruit daily was 1.7(SD=1.3), mean serves of vegetables daily was 2.4 (SD=1.4) and mean metabolic equivalent minutes of physical activity per week was 2045 (SD=1410). Preliminary findings revealed that at 6-months follow-up all five primary outcomes favored the intervention condition over the control condition. Conclusions: Electronic feedback and online and telephone support has potential to address multiple modifiable determinants of disease among vocational education students.