This document provides a comprehensive description of the data collection process, instruments, data cleaning and analysis for the INTERACT study, to be used for future reference, manuscripts, and presentations.
The INTerventions, Equity, Research, and Action in Cities Team (INTERACT) is a pan-Canadian research collaboration of scientists, urban planners, public health officials, community partners, and engaged public uncovering how the design of our cities is shaping the health and well-being of all Canadians. Since 2017, INTERACT has developed and implemented mixed methods natural experiment studies together with partners, including cohort studies in four Canadian cities: the All Ages and Abilities Cycling Network in Victoria; the City Greenways Plan in Vancouver; the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) in Saskatoon; and the ecological transition and resilience policies that call for an array of greening, place-making, traffic-calming, and transportation interventions in Montreal. INTERACT was first established through a CIHR team grant and is co-led by three principal investigators: Yan Kestens (Université de Montréal), Meghan Winters (Simon Fraser University), and Daniel Fuller (University of Saskatchewan).
In 2021, INTERACT received CIHR Project Grant funding for an additional five years to continue work on its overarching goal, to evaluate the impact of built environment interventions on health and health equity. Building on our past work and reflecting the challenges cities face today, INTERACT aims to further action toward healthy cities, with greater attention to socio-political context, implementation, and equity.
The goals of the INTERACT program is to measure the impact of changes to sustainable transportation interventions in physical activity, social connectedness, and well-being, and inequities in these outcomes. Across all INTERACT study sites, we aim to:
Learn more at www.teaminteract.ca
In 2016, Vancouver, Victoria, and Saskatoon conducted a concept mapping exercise with city stakeholders on factors that contribute to the success of interventions. Results of this work has been published here: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2020.113383
In 2022, as part of INTERACT 2nd phase, a team of researchers is looking at how health and equity are considered in the planning and design of sustainable transportation interventions, through a policy document analysis and key informant interviews on whether equity and health were considered and how.
Results of this work was submitted for publication in 2024. Methods can be found on the INTERACT OneDrive: “INTERACT Policy Context”.
During the first phase of INTERACT, spatial data on interventions was collected locally. The catalog of GISc layers available on Cedar is here: https://teaminteract.ca/wp-content/uploads//2019/08/GIS_metadata.html
Several data sources were used for this; some are specific to each INTERACT site while others are from national or provincial data sets.
As part of INTERACT’s second phase, a team of researchers is mapping the socio-spatial patterning of interventions in the 4 INTERACT cities. Methods can be found on the INTERACT OneDrive: “INTERACT Objective 2 Socio-spatial patterning”
Vancouver Greenways:
Vancouver’s Greenways are routes which prioritise active transportation, expand urban recreational opportunities, and serve as high-quality linear public spaces. Popular routes such as the Arbutus Greenway and the Central Valley Greenway link neighbourhoods across Vancouver and support active travel between Vancouver and neighbouring municipalities, like Burnaby and New Westminster. The City of Vancouver is working toward building an integrated city-wide network of 18 Greenways, for a network density that means a Greenway will be within a 10-minute cycle or half-hour walk of every residence in Vancouver. At wave 1 and 2, the intervention under study was the Arbutus Greenway. This was expanded at w3, where all City Greenways were included.
Ethics Review and Approval
All participants provided consent via online or a hard copy form. Ethics approval was received from SFU Office of Research Ethics (#2017s0531). In 2023, ethics moved to Harmonized Minimal Risk Behavioural Study ethics process with UBC (RISE H20-02465).
Study Boundaries
At wave 1 and 2, the boundary was a 3km buffer around the Arbutus Greenway. From w3 (2022 onwards), the City of Vancouver is the study boundary.
| Study Instrument | Start date | End date |
|---|---|---|
| Health Survey | Apr 20, 2018 | Jan 1, 2019 |
| VERITAS | Apr 20, 2018 | Jan 1, 2019 |
| Sensedocs | Apr 30, 2018 | Nov 30, 2019 |
| Ethica | Apr 20, 2018 | Nov 30, 2019 |
Built environment context
The Arbutus Greenway is a 9-km former railway (purchased by the City of Vancouver in 2016 for $55M) being redeveloped into a continuous walking and cycling corridor connecting South Vancouver to False Creek. At the first wave of data collection in Vancouver in 2018, the Arbutus Greenway was paved with a temporary asphalt path and open for use, with further work planned around street crossings, benches, bathrooms, and placemaking.
As of June 18, 2018: Participants were eligible if they were 18 years of age or older; lived within 3 km of the Arbutus Greenway; currently did not have plans to move away from their current neighbourhood in the next 2 years; and can read and speak English.
Before June 18th, 2018: At the launch of the project, participants were eligible if they lived within 2 km of the Arbutus Greenway, were 45 years of age or older, could speak English, and were not planning on moving out of their neighbourhood in the next two years, and left their home at least once per week. After just over one month of recruitment, the team decided to expand these criteria to expand the pool of eligible participants to improve recruitment, and align the eligibility criteria more closely with the other INTERACT project sites, for future cross-site comparisons.The eligibility criteria were altered from a 2km to a 3km buffer, and the minimum age was reduced from 45 to 18.
Recruitment began in April 2018 and involved multiple approaches:
Letter campaign: Mailing lists were rented from Canada Post, and letters sent through their marketing program. An introductory letter to potential participants were sent to all addresses within the original 8 FSAs that had an individual who is 45 years of age or older. This was based on the original INTERACT Vancouver eligibility criteria from April until June 2018 (2km buffer around the Arbutus Greenway, meaning 8 FSAs, V5Z, V6H, V6J, V6K, V6L, V6M, V6N, V6P). 8,614 letters were sent. This approach was very effective, and allowed us to recruit close to half the sample (n=138).
Social media: We used the INTERACT Twitter account (@teaminteractca) and Facebook page for promotion. We also paid a popular local Instagram page to promote the study (Daily Hive).
Street/Community Outreach: Team participated in local events (Street parties, Farmers’ Markets, Community Centre Events, Neighbourhood House, Bike to work events) and collected email addresses to then follow up with interested people.
News Media: The study was advertised on the radio and through a local blog.
Partner Communications: The team shared details about the study in local partner newsletters.
Snowball Recruitment: Refer a friend campaigns incentivized current participants to share details about the study with their peers by offering a gift card.
Other: We emailed people who had signed up to learn more about the study through the Arbutus Greenway Newsletter, the Healthy Cities Newsletter and others. We hung posters in public areas near the Arbutus Greenway.
Participants were entered into a lottery to win one of five $50 Visa gift cards. In August 2018, we also added a prize draw for a weekend getaway in Whistler (value up to $600).
All participants provided consent via online form before answering any questions on the survey platform.
Participants first completed the eligibility questionnaire to ensure they met the criteria to participate in the longitudinal study (see inclusion/exclusion criteria). In this questionnaire, participants could choose the participation option for that wave:
1 | Full participation: Surveys, smartphone app, and wearable sensor
2 | Partial participation : Surveys and a smartphone app
3 | Partial participation : Surveys and a wearable sensor
4 | Basic participation: Surveys
The INTERACT Health Questionnaire is made up of core questions, asked across all sites and local questions, driven by city partner needs. Core questions focus on INTERACT’s key health outcomes: physical activity, social participation, and well-being. The core questionnaire also includes questions on socio-demographic data, general health, use of activity monitors, housing type, and neighbourhood.
Health questions can be found here: https://teaminteract.ca/ressources/INTERACT_datadict.html#health_questionnaire_title
The VERITAS questionnaire collects spatial and social information on participants.
Time Reference: Participants were asked about the places they visited “At least once a month”
VERITAS questions can be found here: https://teaminteract.ca/ressources/INTERACT_datadict.html#veritas_questionnaire_title
The Ethica app gathers data from the embedded sensors of participant smartphones to provide information about daily mobility (GPS and Wi-Fi) and physical activity (accelerometer and gyroscope). It also occasionally prompts participants with short survey questions (EMA). The app also collects data about phones’ battery status. The data are collected for 1 minute every 5 minutes.
An email was sent to participants with instructions on how to download Ethica.
The Ethica study was #376. The Ethica app captured:
GPS
WiFI
Accelerometer
Activity Recognition
Pedometer
Battery
Gyroscope
EMA surveys (no mood questions)
EMA questions and schedule : https://teaminteract.ca/ressources/INTERACT_datadict.html#ema_title
The SenseDoc is a multisensor device used for mobility (GPS) and physical activity (accelerometer) tracking in the INTERACT study. Participants are asked to where the device for 10 consecutive days, from the moment they wake up to the moment they go to bed. They are given a form to track wear time each day. The location data in the SenseDoc are provided by a GPS receiver at 1Hz, continuously as long as the device was charged and on. The accelerometer is programable and was set to measure at 50Hz continuously.
| status | Eligibility | Health | Veritas | Ethica | SenseDoc |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New participant | 380 | 334 | 210 | 135 | 152 |
| Total | 380 | 334 | 210 | 135 | 152 |
| Study Instrument | Start date | End date |
|---|---|---|
| Health Survey | Aug 26, 2020 | Feb 7, 2021 |
| VERITAS | Aug 26, 2020 | Feb 7, 2021 |
| Sensedocs | Aug 26, 2020 | Mar 2, 2021 |
| Ethica | Aug 26, 2020 | Feb 28, 2021 |
Covid Context
Wave 2 of data collection was scheduled to launch on April 1st, 2020. However, this was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The team decided to launch in September despite the continuation of the pandemic. A summary of the sanitary measured in effect during data collection are below:
spring 2020: Large gatherings prohibited.
2020/08/21: Stronger enforcement begins: police and other law enforcement officers have power to fine people who host large events that violate the rules in B.C.
2020/09/09: Students return to school: Back-to-school plan includes in-class instruction with new public health measures (students divided into learning groups, staggered start times and staggered breaks, masks recommended in high-traffic areas when physical distancing is not possible)
2020/09/14: Most indoor pools and fitness centres open
2020/09/17: Public asked to keep gatherings to 6 or fewer people and to keep those groups of 6 consistent. Restrictions on nightclubs and serving alcohol after 10pm
2020/10/15: Updates to restrictions on gatherings: a) Holding events in banquet halls is prohibited; (b) no more than 5 individuals may be present in vacation accommodation; (c) gatherings of more than 50 patrons at a food and beverage place for purposes of an event is prohibited; (d) nightclubs must cease operations.
2020/10/26: Masks are now an expectation in public places; new restrictions on private gatherings in homes (limited to household members plus “safe six” additional people)
2020/11/7: Restrictions on gatherings and non-essential travel: New restrictions for VCH and Fraser Health regions, effective Nov 7th through to Nov 23rd at midnight. (a) Gatherings of any size are not allowed outside of immediate household members (this includes outdoor gatherings), (b) Walks with non-household members still allowed, so long as these don’t turn into gatherings, (c) Immediate household members are permitted see each other in restaurants, (d) Travel into and out of VCH and Fraser Health regions limited to essential travel only (essential == travel for work or things like medical appointments), (e) Group fitness activities must close. (f) People who live alone may socialize with up to 2 people within their core social bubble.
2020/11/19: Masks made mandatory in all indoor public places, retail spaces and grocery stores. Order applies to restaurants at all times when patrons aren’t eating or drinking.
2020/11/24: Pause on all major events (indoor and outdoor), including holiday events until Dec 7th (later extended until Jan 8th)
2020/12/07: Household restrictions and event and gathering (including holiday-related activities) restrictions extended until January 8th. Residents must continue to socialize with people in their household until midnight on Jan 8th. (Later extended until Feb 5th, 2021, and then extended indefinitely)
2020/12/14: Vaccine roll-out begins
2020/12/21: Holiday celebrations are restricted to immediate household members or core bubble.
2021/01/07: Provincial restrictions on gatherings extended until February 5.
For more details, see https://www.cihi.ca/en/canadian-covid-19-intervention-timeline
Air quality
2020/09/14: Air quality advisory issued, residents advised to avoid outdoor activities for one week (until Sept 21st).
On September 14th, the province issued an air quality advisory due to forest fires in western United States. Vancouver residents were advised to avoid outdoor activities until air quality improved to an acceptable level. Sensedoc participants (n=5 at this time) were asked to pause their participation and further study promotion was put on hold until the advisory was lifted on September 21st.
Built environment context
The Arbutus Greenway is an asphalt pathway, a popular walking and cycling path in the City. The pandemic led the City to adjust spending on capital projects like the Greenway. The current focus is on spot improvements to support safety and connectivity, and implementation of the design strategy is on hold until the next capital plan in 2023.
The 5 portable toilets along the Greenway were removed after the start of the pandemic due to hygiene concerns.
Participants were eligible if they were 18 years of age or older; lived within 3 km of the Arbutus Greenway; currently did not have plans to move away from their current neighbourhood in the next 2 years; and can read and speak English.
All returning participants (e.g. participants who were returning from W1) were eligible so long as they still lived in the Vancouver area. Returning participants who had moved since W1 but still lived in Vancouver were eligible, those who moved outside of the Vancouver area since W1 were no longer eligible.
Recruitment began in August 2020, delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Returning participants were invited to rejoin the study at this wave by email (mailchimp campaigns, and later personalized emails) and phone calls. In mid-November, letters along with a token gift (a bookmark + a bag of tea with an INTERACT-branded sticker) were mailed out to W1 participants who had not yet re-enrolled for W2.
For new participants, we used the following approaches:
Social media: We used the INTERACT Twitter account (@teaminteractca) and Facebook page for promotion. We also paid a popular local Instagram page to promote the study (Daily Hive).
Street/Community Outreach: Team shared INTERACT bookmarks in treat bags (n=550) at Kits BIA Trick-or-Treat event. The team used sandwich boards to advertize the study around the Greenway.
News Media: The study was advertised in SFU News, and the Kitsilano Bulletin.
Partner Communications: The team shared details about the study in local partner newsletters (i.e. Arbutus Club Newsletter, others)
Snowball Recruitment: Refer a friend campaigns incentivized current participants to share details about the study with their peers by offering a gift card.
Posters: The team hung posters at UBC and at City Libraries and public areas.
Participants were entered into a lottery to win one of ten $50 Visa gift cards. At the end of October, we added an Apple Watch to the prize draw (value approx. $400).
All participants provided consent via online form before answering any questions on the survey platform.
Participants first completed the eligibility questionnaire to ensure they met the criteria to participate in the longitudinal study (see inclusion/exclusion criteria). In this questionnaire, participants could choose the participation option for that wave:
1 | Full participation: Surveys, smartphone app, and wearable sensor
2 | Partial participation : Surveys and a smartphone app
3 | Partial participation : Surveys and a wearable sensor
4 | Basic participation: Surveys
The INTERACT Health Questionnaire is made up of core questions, asked across all sites and local questions, driven by city partner needs. Core questions focus on INTERACT’s key health outcomes: physical activity, social participation, and well-being. The core questionnaire also includes questions on socio-demographic data, general health, use of activity monitors, housing type, and neighbourhood. Health questions can be found here: https://teaminteract.ca/ressources/INTERACT_datadict.html#health_questionnaire_title
Questions were the same for new and returning participants, except that demographic information that does not change (for ex. whether they were born in Canada) was not asked to returning participants.
Key additions at w2 were:
The VERITAS questionnaire collects spatial and social information on participants.
Returning participants who had completed Veritas at Wave 1 received a pre-seeded survey with their answers from w1. They were first asked to review the people in their social network, then were asked to review places they visited. To do this: they were shown the seeded places from w1, and asked whether they still visited that place and to update the place form. They were then asked about other or new locations they visited at least once a month.
Participants who reported moving between W1 and W2 were given an empty VERITAS.
Time Reference: Due to the Covid context, the time prompt was changed from w1. Participants were asked about the places they visited “At least once in the past month”
VERITAS questions can be found here: https://teaminteract.ca/ressources/INTERACT_datadict.html#veritas_questionnaire_title
The Ethica app gathers data from the embedded sensors of participant smartphones to provide information about daily mobility (GPS and Wi-Fi) and physical activity (accelerometer and gyroscope). It also occasionally prompts participants with short survey questions (EMA). The app also collects data about phones’ battery status. The data are collected for 1 minute every 5 minutes.
Au email was sent to participants with instructions on how to download Ethica.
The Ethica study was #1058. The Ethica app captured:
GPS
WiFI
Accelerometer
Activity Recognition
Pedometer
Battery
Gyroscope
EMA surveys: Questions on where participant’s phone was located (pocket, table, bag, etc), mood questions, mode used for the first trip of the day, and encouraging messages.
EMA questions and schedule: https://teaminteract.ca/ressources/INTERACT_datadict.html#ema_title
On November 18th, the mood_who question was modified to
add a response option: One or more people virtually // Une ou des
personnes virtuellement
The SenseDoc is a multisensor device used for mobility (GPS) and physical activity (accelerometer) tracking in the INTERACT study. Participants are asked to where the device for 10 consecutive days, from the moment they wake up to the moment they go to bed. They are given a form to track wear time each day. The location data in the SenseDoc are provided by a GPS receiver at 1Hz, continuously as long as the device was charged and on. The accelerometer is programable and was set to measure at 50Hz continuously.
All SenseDoc components were sanitized before delivery and a disinfectant wipe was included with the package.
| status | Eligibility | Health | Veritas | Ethica | SenseDoc |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New participant | 141 | 106 | 68 | 29 | 22 |
| Returning participant | 219 | 194 | 114 | 67 | 62 |
| Total | 360 | 300 | 182 | 96 | 84 |
| Study Instrument | Start date | End date |
|---|---|---|
| Health Survey | May 17, 2022 | Jan 15, 2023 |
| VERITAS | May 17, 2022 | Jan 15, 2023 |
| Sensedocs | Jun 15, 2022 | Nov 1, 2022 |
| Ethica | Jun 15, 2022 | Jan 15, 2023 |
Covid Context
All pandemic restrictions were removed during 2022 data collection. However, some participants continued to work from home which may have changed their transportation patterns from previous waves, particularly from w1-w3.
Built environment context
In response to the City of Vancouver’s focus on city-wide accessibility to active transportation and increased connectivity, the INTERACT study expanded beyond the Arbutus Greenways to include all greenways, in addition to the Granville Bridge Connector (GBC) and the Portside Greenway.
(Vancouver team to review)
For updates to Greenways, see: https://vancouver.ca/streets-transportation/city-greenways.aspx
Participants were eligible if they were 18 years of age or older; lived in the City of Vancouver; currently did not have plans to move away from the city in the next 2 years; and can read and speak English.
All returning participants (e.g. participants who were returning from W1 or W2) were eligible so long as they still lived in the Vancouver area.
Recruitment began in May 2022. Returning participants were invited to rejoin the study at this wave by email (mailchimp campaigns, and later personalized emails) and phone calls.
For new participants, we used the following approaches:
Social media: We used the INTERACT Twitter account (@teaminteractca) and Facebook page for promotion.
Google Ads: The campaign was developed with the assistance of Google Ads specialists and featured 2 logo graphics and 15 graphics (summer and activity focused) with 5 taglines. This approach was ineffective.
Magnetic Postcards: To target areas around Greenways, we used magnetic postcards affixed to streetlamp and pushbutton along the City Greenway network. Special approvals were required to place 3rd party signage in Vancouver public spaces. In early November 2022, we affixed 50 magnetic postcards to streetlamp and pushbutton standards at 27 sites along the City Greenway network. We targeted sites in the eastern half of the city’s greenway network (east of Cambie to Boundary Rd.) Placement.
ReachBC: A platform of volunteers keen to participate in research studies. Volunteers complete a profile with interest areas and the system algorithm curates studies for the volunteer to review. Volunteers interested in INTERACT press a button to express interest that displays the volunteer’s contact information in the study dashboard.
Snowball Recruitment: Refer a friend campaigns encouraged current participants to share details about the study with their peers for bonus entries to the prize draw.
Posters: The team hung posters in community centres and distributed bookmarks at the Vancouver Public Library.
Participants were entered into a lottery for a chance to win their choice of: + The 10.9-inch iPad Air Wi-Fi 64GB with Smart Keyboard Folio and Apple Pencil 2nd Gen. (valued at $1057), or + iPhone 13 128GB (valued at $1099).
All participants provided consent via online form before answering any questions on the survey platform.
Participants first completed the eligibility questionnaire to ensure they met the criteria to participate in the longitudinal study (see inclusion/exclusion criteria). In this questionnaire, participants could choose the participation option for that wave:
1 | Full participation: Surveys, smartphone app, and wearable sensor
2 | Partial participation : Surveys and a smartphone app
3 | Partial participation : Surveys and a wearable sensor
4 | Basic participation: Surveys
The INTERACT Health Questionnaire is made up of core questions, asked across all sites and local questions, driven by city partner needs. Core questions focus on INTERACT’s key health outcomes: physical activity, social participation, and well-being. The core questionnaire also includes questions on socio-demographic data, general health, use of activity monitors, housing type, and neighbourhood. Health questions can be found here: https://teaminteract.ca/ressources/INTERACT_datadict.html#health_questionnaire_title
Questions were the same for new and returning participants, with some exceptions: i.e. demographic information that does not change (for ex. whether they were born in Canada) was not asked to returning participants.
Key changes at w3 were:
The health questionnaire was simplified from wave 2 to reduce burden on participants.
Questions about use of different Greenways were added, as opposed to only about Arbutus Greenway
The VERITAS questionnaire collects spatial and social information on participants.
Returning participants who had completed Veritas at Wave 1 received a pre-seeded survey with their answers from w1 and w2. They were first asked to review the people in their social network, then were asked to review places they visited. To do this: they were shown the seeded places from w1 and w2, and asked whether they still visited that place and to update the place form. They were then asked about other or new locations they visited at least once a month.
Participants who reported moving between W1/W2 and W3 were given an empty VERITAS.
Issues
Time Reference: Participants were asked about the places they visited “At least once in the past month”
VERITAS questions can be found here: https://teaminteract.ca/ressources/INTERACT_datadict.html#veritas_questionnaire_title
The Ethica app gathers data from the embedded sensors of participant smartphones to provide information about daily mobility (GPS and Wi-Fi) and physical activity (accelerometer and gyroscope). It also occasionally prompts participants with short survey questions (EMA). The app also collects data about phones’ battery status. The data are collected for 1 minute every 5 minutes.
Au email was sent to participants with instructions on how to download Ethica.
The Ethica study was #2340. The Ethica app captured:
GPS
WiFI
Accelerometer
Activity Recognition
Pedometer
Battery
EMA surveys: Questions on where participant’s phone was located (pocket, table, bag, etc), mood questions, mode used for the first trip of the day, and encouraging messages.
EMA questions and schedule : https://teaminteract.ca/ressources/INTERACT_datadict.html#ema_title
The SenseDoc is a multisensor device used for mobility (GPS) and physical activity (accelerometer) tracking in the INTERACT study. Participants are asked to where the device for 10 consecutive days, from the moment they wake up to the moment they go to bed. They are given a form to track wear time each day. The location data in the SenseDoc are provided by a GPS receiver at 1Hz, continuously as long as the device was charged and on. The accelerometer is programable and was set to measure at 50Hz continuously.
As of October 23rd 2022, SenseDoc data collection was halted, due to administrative issues that hindered our access to the devices.
| status | Eligibility | Health | Veritas | Ethica | SenseDoc |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New participant | 71 | 55 | 49 | 27 | 25 |
| Returning participant | 200 | 171 | 138 | 50 | 51 |
| Total | 271 | 226 | 187 | 77 | 76 |
| Study Instrument | Start date | End date |
|---|---|---|
| Health Survey | July 13, 2024 | Oct 31, 2024 |
| VERITAS | July 13, 2024 | Oct 31, 2024 |
| Sensedocs | |
|
| Ethica | July 13, 2024 | Dec 5, 2024 |
Built environment context
The INTERACT Study at wave 4 included all City Greenways.
(Vancouver team to update)
For updates to Greenways, see: https://vancouver.ca/streets-transportation/city-greenways.aspx
Participants were eligible if they were 18 years of age or older; lived in the City of Vancouver; currently did not have plans to move away from the city in the next 2 years; and can read and speak English.
All returning participants (e.g. participants who were returning from W1, W2 or W3) were eligible so long as they still lived in the Vancouver area.
Recruitment began in July 2024. Returning participants were invited to rejoin the study at this wave by email, texts, and phone calls.
For new participants, we used the following approaches:
Social media: We used the INTERACT Facebook page for promotion and programmed paid ads on Meta.
Magnetic Postcards: To target areas around Greenways, we used magnetic postcards affixed to streetlamp and pushbutton along the City Greenway network. Special approvals were required to place 3rd party signage in Vancouver public spaces. Moreno: Want to add anything about placement strategy, amount, process, etc.
ReachBC: A platform of volunteers keen to participate in research studies. Volunteers complete a profile with interest areas and the system algorithm curates studies for the volunteer to review. Volunteers interested in INTERACT press a button to express interest that displays the volunteer’s contact information in the study dashboard.
Snowball Recruitment: Refer a friend campaigns encouraged current participants to share details about the study with their peers for bonus entries to the prize draw. This year, participants who referred a friend who completed at least the health survey could receive a $10 giftcard; for a maximum of $20 in giftcards.
In-person events: The team set up a table with recruitment materials and food at certain locations: Moreno can you add details?
Participants were entered into a lottery for a chance to win their choice of:
One $500 giftcard to the retailer of their choice or
One of 5 $100 giftcards to the retailer of their choice
In 2024, we changed the participant flow from prior waves. Instead of asking participants up front about how many activities they wanted to participate in, we presented all options, and gradually invited people to join the optional activities. All study activities, except the health questionnaire were presented as optional. The study activities were:
1 | Health Questionnaire: minimum participation
2 | VERITAS Questionnaire: optional map-based survey. Participants were invited to start VERITAS right away, at the end of the health questionnaire on the Polygon platform. If they said no, they received an email 3-days later with details about VERITAS and a link to begin that survey.
3 | Avicenna (formerly Ethica): a GPS and PA tracking app. Participants were asked whether they were interested in knowing more about the Avicenna app at the end of the health questionnaire, on the Polygon platform. If yes, they received an email 5 minutes later with information on how to download the app. Coordinators sent manual reminders to people who indicated they were interested in Avicenna, but had not yet signed up.
The SenseDoc was not offered as a study activity in Vancouver due to lack of availability of devices and logistical burden
All participants provided consent via online form before answering any questions on the survey platform.
Participants first completed the eligibility questionnaire to ensure they met the criteria to participate in the longitudinal study (see inclusion/exclusion criteria).
The INTERACT Health Questionnaire is made up of core questions, asked across all sites and local questions, driven by city partner needs. Core questions focus on INTERACT’s key health outcomes: physical activity, social participation, and well-being. The core questionnaire also includes questions on socio-demographic data, general health, use of activity monitors, housing type, and neighbourhood. Health questions can be found here: https://teaminteract.ca/ressources/INTERACT_datadict.html#health_questionnaire_title
Questions were the same for new and returning participants, with some exceptions: i.e. demographic information that does not change (for ex. whether they were born in Canada) was not asked to returning participants.
Key changes at w4 were:
The Vancouver-specific questions were very lightly modified:
More modes of transportation were proposed as response options for Greenways that are also home to vehicular traffic.
More amenities were added to
greenway_amenities
All questions referencing covid-19 were removed.
Flags / Issues
group_id (ethnicity question) was mistakenly asked to
returning participants. This means we may have conflicting information
from the first time they completed an INTERACT questionnaire.The VERITAS questionnaire collects spatial information on participants.
Returning participants who had completed Veritas at Wave 1 received a pre-seeded survey with their answers from w1, w2 and w3. They were shown the seeded places from w1, w2 and w3, and asked whether they still visited that place and to update the place form. They were then asked about other or new locations they visited at least once in the past month.
Participants who reported moving between W1/W2/w3 and W4 were given an empty VERITAS.
Time Reference: Participants were asked about the places they visited “At least once in the past month”
VERITAS questions can be found here: https://teaminteract.ca/ressources/INTERACT_datadict.html#veritas_questionnaire_title
The Avicenna app gathers data from the embedded sensors of participant smartphones to provide information about daily mobility (GPS and Wi-Fi) and physical activity (accelerometer and gyroscope). It also occasionally prompts participants with short survey questions (EMA). The app also collects data about phones’ battery status. The data are collected for 1 minute every 5 minutes.
Au email was sent to participants with instructions on how to download Ethica.
The Ethica study was #3729. The Ethica app captured:
GPS
WiFI
Accelerometer
Activity Recognition
Pedometer
Battery
EMA surveys: Questions on where participant’s phone was located (pocket, table, bag, etc), mood questions, mode used for the first trip of the day, fun facts, and encouraging messages.
EMA questions and schedule : https://teaminteract.ca/ressources/INTERACT_datadict.html#ema_title
The SenseDoc option was not offered to participants in Vancouver at wave 4, due to insufficient access to devices, and to lower the barriers to participation.
| status | Eligibility | Health | Veritas | Ethica | SenseDoc |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New participant | 330 | 176 | 81 | 39 | 0 |
| Returning participant | 216 | 184 | 72 | 50 | 0 |
| Total | 546 | 360 | 153 | 89 | 0 |