Effect of a mobile pedometer-based walking challenge on quality of life amongst university employees: before and after study (Preprint)
BACKGROUND Regular physical activity has a direct association with an improvement in perceived health-related quality of life (HRQL). Because many Saudis are reportedly inactive, Imam Abdulrahman bin Faisal University established a walking challenge for all university employees to encourage a better lifestyle and to promote health awareness. OBJECTIVE This study aims to measure the differences in the participants’ HRQL scores before and after the challenge. METHODS a HRQL survey is sent to all university employees before the implementation of a pedometer-based walking challenge at the study setting. The questionnaire is re-sent after the challenge ended and differences in the overall HRQL were calculated. A RAND SF20-items scale was used to measure the participants’ HRQL scores, along with other information such as academic qualifications. RESULTS Most of the participants were between 31 and 50 years old, and 40% were males. There was a statistically significant difference in the overall HRQL scores before and after the walking challenge intervention. The HRQL score increased from 50.77 before the challenge to 55.53 after the challenge (paired t-test = -4.322, P < .0001). An odds ratio (OR) showed that the odds of having higher HRQL scores increased by 88% after the walking challenge, compared to before the walking challenge (OR = 1.88; 95% CI= 1.269-2.809; P = .002). CONCLUSIONS Physical activity by itself can improve a community’s overall health and quality of life. Similar interventions are encouraged in all public and private sectors in the country. CLINICALTRIAL NA