A Study on Practicable and Effective E-mail-based Intervention Methods for Improving Lifestyles

Purpose: The present study aims to explore practicable and effective e-mail-based intervention methods for improving lifestyles. In the aim of this, we analyze the processes and outcomes of intervention we conducted. Methods: Subjects were 14 male workers (age range: 40-59 years) who completed a medical checkup at a hospital selected by their company. As a 12-week e-mail-based intervention, 10 non-smoking workers were sent guidance regarding nutrition, exercise, sleep, and drinking behaviors, and 4 workers who smoke were sent guidance regarding smoking cessation. In addition, face-to-face guidance was provided after the medical checkup. During the 12-week e-mail-based intervention, we recorded how long it took to prepare the e-mail guidance, what facilities are required for providing guidance, and what problems we encountered while preparing the email guidance. Based on follow-up e-mails and records made during the 12-week intervention, the frequency of providing guidance to each subject, the time required to prepare the guidance, the purposes and contents of guidance, and necessary conditions for improving e-mail-based intervention methods were clarified. Results/Discussion: The 13 subjects except 1 smoker have finished the program. Their lifestyles and results of medical checkups improved. The frequency of providing guidance and the time required to prepare the guidance were different among them. Some of the contents of guidance included intervention with counseling. The present findings indicate that in order to improve the effectiveness of an intervention, it is necessary to modifying guidance to correspond with the situation and behavior of the subject. Furthermore, because the face-to-face guidance facilitated our understanding of the lifestyle and personality of the workers, including face-to-face guidance in e-mail-based interventions is effective. Regarding the practicability of facilities needed to interventions, it is important to design interventions that do not require subjects to acquire special skills or software to participate in the program. In addition, to improve the efficiency of an intervention, prepared guidance materials should incorporate content that is common to many subjects and is frequently used.