Fit4TreatmentPhysical Activity Intervention Among Older Women With Gynecologic Cancers (Fit4Treatment)

The Fit4Treatment app is designed to encourage physical activity among older women with gynecologic cancer while they are undergoing cancer therapy. The app will contain the following features 1) education about safely increasing physical activity and steps; 2) tailored patient-specific push notifications to encourage physical activity 3) syncing of Fitbit steps and transmission of these data to study staff in real time; 4) daily, weekly and monthly step progress; and 5) goal setting that incorporates prior physical activity, patient desires, and daily symptom burden. The app will prompt patients to report their symptom burden on a scale of 1-5 each morning. Based on their symptom rating and the previous days step counts (measured directly by the Fitbit) patients will be provided with three different goal choices to select. Daily activity goals increase, decrease or stay the same depending on the previous day and the patient's own goals.

Participants assigned to the exercise partner component will be encouraged to discuss their step progress with their selected partner who will in turn support the participant and encourage them to stay active.

Participants assigned to the provider/oncologist engagement component will have their physical activity data recorded by the Fitbit shared with their oncology provider through the electronic medical record (EMR). For participants randomized to this condition, clinical staff will place an order into the EMR, allowing the patient to use the patient-facing portal MyChart to link their Fitbit to the health record. Prior to regularly scheduled clinic visits, the patient's oncology team will receive a message summarizing the participant's physical activity (average daily steps) for the prior three weeks.

Participants assigned to the coaching intervention will receive weekly coaching calls. The study team will call them at a previously specified and mutually agreed upon time once per week to review topics related to physical activity and cancer treatment. Coaching calls will have an educational component and cover topics such as reducing sedentary behavior, benefits of increased physical activity, managing cancer treatment symptoms, social support, stress management, etc. During these calls, the topics as well as strategies and recommendations will be discussed. Barriers and facilitators will be reflected on and planned for to increased self-efficacy. Participants will engage in direct problem solving with their coach. Discussing these topics will enhance outcome expectation and increase motivation.

This study will test the core intervention of an activity tracker and commercially available app (Fitbit) in addition to four components which are expected to improve physical activity. The intervention will be delivered over 12 weeks with a 12 week follow up period.