Multilevel mHealth Intervention Increases Physical Activity of Older Adults Living in Retirement Community

Abstract

Background: Regular physical activity is crucial for healthy aging, but older adults are the least active age group. This study explored the feasibility, acceptability, and efficacy of a multilevel mHealth intervention for increasing physical activity of older adults living in a retirement community. Methods: Participants included 54 older adults (mean age = 81.2 y, 77.8% female, 98.1% white) living in a retirement community. Participants received a Fitbit Zip and access to a multilevel mHealth physical activity intervention (MapTrek Residential) for 8 weeks. Physical activity (in steps per day) and intervention compliance (days worn) were measured objectively with the Fitbit for 12 weeks (8-wk intervention plus 4-wk follow-up). Psychosocial outcomes (social support, self-efficacy, and outcome expectations) were assessed at baseline and 8 weeks. Acceptability outcomes were assessed with an open-ended process evaluation survey and focus groups. Descriptive statistics and linear mixed models were used to examine intervention effects. Results: Participants increased daily steps from 5438 steps per day at baseline (95% CI, 4620 to 6256) to 6201 steps per day (95% CI, 5359 to 7042) at week 8 (P < .0001) but this was not maintained at 12 weeks (P = .92). Conclusions: Our multilevel mHealth physical activity intervention was effective for increasing physical activity older adults over 8 weeks. Additional research focused on maintaining physical activity gains with this approach is warranted.

Factors influencing older adults' participation in telehealth interventions for primary prevention and health promotion: A rapid review

“…Twenty-two articles had been published since 2015 9,11,26,[33][34][35][36][37][38][39][40][41][42][43][44][45][46][47][48][49][50][51] and eight of them were published between 2021 and 2022, [38][39][40][41]43,44,47,48 which attests to the increasing popularity of telehealth interventions for primary prevention and health promotion in older adults. Eleven of the 24 articles reported the results from qualitative studies, 9,33,34,38,41,42,[48][49][50]52,53 nine from mixed method studies, 11,[35][36][37]40,[43][44][45]51 ...…”

“…Eleven of the 24 articles reported the results from qualitative studies, 9,33,34,38,41,42,[48][49][50]52,53 nine from mixed method studies, 11,[35][36][37]40,[43][44][45]51 two from randomised controlled trials, 39,47 one from a quasiexperimental study 46 and one from a cross-sectional study. 26 As shown in Table 1, 12 articles pertained to studies conducted in Europe, 26,33,34,[39][40][41][42]45,46,[48][49][50] eight in North America, 9,[35][36][37]44,47,52,53 four in Asia, 11,38,40,51 and one in Oceania. ...…”

“…43 One article was about the results of a collaborative study involving participants in the United Kingdom and in China. 40 A total of 10 articles concerned health promotion interventions 9,11,[34][35][36]44,47,[51][52][53] and 14 examined primary prevention interventions. 26,33,[37][38][39][40][41][42][43]45,46,[48][49][50] Table 1 also presents the technologies of interest in the 24 articles.…”

“…33,35,52 Videoconferences were studied in three articles. 9,41,43 Findings from studies pertaining to webinars, 37 a website, 38 an interactive TVbased game 44 and short service messages (SMS) 11 were reported in one article each.…”

“…Performance expectancy was identified in 20 articles. 9,11,26,[33][34][35][38][39][40][41][43][44][45][46][47][48][49][50][51][52] More specifically, the following subcategories related to performance expectancy were identified: (1) Obtaining secondary gains or rewards (e.g. perceived physical and functional gains, improved quality of life and achievement of health goals; n = 14) , 9,26,34,38,39,41,43,44,[46][47][48][49][50][51] such as the possibility to personalise exercise programs to one's specific abilities and goals (n = 5), 40,43,48,49,52 (3) increasing motivation to change health behaviour (n = 5) 11,34,35,48,50 (e.g.…”