Prompts to increase stair climbing in stations: the effect of message complexity
Background/Objective: While point-of-choice prompts consistently increase stair climbing, experimental comparisons of message content are rare. Here, the effects of 2 messages differing in complexity about the health outcomes obtainable from stair climbing were compared. Methods: In a UK train stati...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Journal article |
| Language: | English |
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Human Kinetics, Inc.
2012
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| _version_ | 1826289680392388608 |
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| author | Lewis, A Eves, F |
| author_facet | Lewis, A Eves, F |
| author_sort | Lewis, A |
| collection | OXFORD |
| description | Background/Objective: While point-of-choice prompts consistently increase stair climbing, experimental comparisons of message content are rare. Here, the effects of 2 messages differing in complexity about the health outcomes obtainable from stair climbing were compared. Methods: In a UK train station with 2 independent platforms exited by identical 39-step staircases and adjacent escalators, observers recorded travelers ascent method and gender from 8:00 A.M. to 10:00 A.M. on 2 weekdays during February/March 2008 (n = 48,697). Baseline observations (2-weeks) preceded a 3-week poster phase. Two posters (594 x 841mm) that differed in the complexity of the message were positioned at the point-of-choice between ascent methods, with 1 placed on each side of the station simultaneously. Logistic regression analysis was conducted in April 2010. Results: Omnibus analysis contained main effects of the intervention (OR = 1.07, CI = 1.02-1.13, P = .01) and pedestrian traffic volume (OR = 5.42, CI = 3.05-9.62, P < .001). Similar effects occurred for complex (OR = 1.10, CI = 1.02-1.18, P = .01) and simple messages (OR = 1.07, CI = 1.01-1.13, P = .02) when analyses controlled for the influence of pedestrian traffic volume. There was reduced efficacy for the complex message during busier periods (OR = 0.36, CI = 0.20-0.66, P = .001), whereas the simple message was immune to these effects of traffic volume. Conclusions: Pedestrian traffic flow in stations can influence message effectiveness. Simple messages appear more suitable for busy sites. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-07T02:32:35Z |
| format | Journal article |
| id | oxford-uuid:a7bec35e-a510-4e77-bec8-f3a206471aeb |
| institution | University of Oxford |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-07T02:32:35Z |
| publishDate | 2012 |
| publisher | Human Kinetics, Inc. |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | oxford-uuid:a7bec35e-a510-4e77-bec8-f3a206471aeb2022-03-27T02:56:34ZPrompts to increase stair climbing in stations: the effect of message complexityJournal articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_dcae04bcuuid:a7bec35e-a510-4e77-bec8-f3a206471aebEnglishSymplectic Elements at OxfordHuman Kinetics, Inc.2012Lewis, AEves, FBackground/Objective: While point-of-choice prompts consistently increase stair climbing, experimental comparisons of message content are rare. Here, the effects of 2 messages differing in complexity about the health outcomes obtainable from stair climbing were compared. Methods: In a UK train station with 2 independent platforms exited by identical 39-step staircases and adjacent escalators, observers recorded travelers ascent method and gender from 8:00 A.M. to 10:00 A.M. on 2 weekdays during February/March 2008 (n = 48,697). Baseline observations (2-weeks) preceded a 3-week poster phase. Two posters (594 x 841mm) that differed in the complexity of the message were positioned at the point-of-choice between ascent methods, with 1 placed on each side of the station simultaneously. Logistic regression analysis was conducted in April 2010. Results: Omnibus analysis contained main effects of the intervention (OR = 1.07, CI = 1.02-1.13, P = .01) and pedestrian traffic volume (OR = 5.42, CI = 3.05-9.62, P < .001). Similar effects occurred for complex (OR = 1.10, CI = 1.02-1.18, P = .01) and simple messages (OR = 1.07, CI = 1.01-1.13, P = .02) when analyses controlled for the influence of pedestrian traffic volume. There was reduced efficacy for the complex message during busier periods (OR = 0.36, CI = 0.20-0.66, P = .001), whereas the simple message was immune to these effects of traffic volume. Conclusions: Pedestrian traffic flow in stations can influence message effectiveness. Simple messages appear more suitable for busy sites. |
| spellingShingle | Lewis, A Eves, F Prompts to increase stair climbing in stations: the effect of message complexity |
| title | Prompts to increase stair climbing in stations: the effect of message complexity |
| title_full | Prompts to increase stair climbing in stations: the effect of message complexity |
| title_fullStr | Prompts to increase stair climbing in stations: the effect of message complexity |
| title_full_unstemmed | Prompts to increase stair climbing in stations: the effect of message complexity |
| title_short | Prompts to increase stair climbing in stations: the effect of message complexity |
| title_sort | prompts to increase stair climbing in stations the effect of message complexity |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT lewisa promptstoincreasestairclimbinginstationstheeffectofmessagecomplexity AT evesf promptstoincreasestairclimbinginstationstheeffectofmessagecomplexity |