Promoting physical activity in older adults by education of home visitors

Abstract

The objectives were to investigate in older adults (1) whether regular preventive home visits are associated with change or stability in physical activity and (2) whether education of home visitors influences stability and change in physical activity. The design was a prospective controlled randomised follow-up study with randomization at municipality level (17 intervention and 17 control municipalities) and outcomes measured at individual level. Visitors in the intervention-municipalities received regular education during 3 years. The effect of the intervention was measured by a questionnaire survey among 1,913 old persons living in the 34 municipalities at baseline and 4½-year follow-up. Changes in physical activity were measured through self-reported frequencies of vigorous physical activity. All logistic regression analyses were stratified by sex and age group (75 and 80 years old). There was no effect of receiving preventive home visits on change in physical activity among the men and among the 75-year-old women. Among the physically active 80-year-old women those who accepted and received more than four preventive home visits were more likely to go on being physically active compared to women who did not receive preventive home visits. Among the sedentary 80-year-old women those living in the intervention municipalities tended to increase their physical activity compared to the control women. These results were not seen in the old men. Preventive home visits as part of daily routine in primary care and education of home visitors and general practitioners may promote physical activity in older women.

Impact of universal interventions on social inequalities in physical activity among older adults: an equity-focused systematic review

“…Ten studies [ 47 – 50 , 52 – 57 ] used a longitudinal design with at least one before and one after measurement. Among these, six [ 47 , 52 – 55 , 57 ] included a control group and therefore had the highest suitability of study design. The remaining four studies [ 48 – 50 , 56 ] used a single group pre-post design.…”

“…This study could not be evaluated concerning its suitability since none of the four categories included in the scale of suitability of study design captured its design features adequately. Three studies [ 51 – 53 ] met five of the six quality criteria, four studies [ 49 , 54 , 55 , 57 ] met four, three studies [ 48 , 50 , 56 ] met three, and the remaining study [ 47 ] met two quality criteria (Additional file 3 B).…”

“… Significant effects in all age groups (60–64, 65–69, 70–75 years). Poulsen et al (2007) [ 55 ] NA–only subgroups presented. Gender/sex and Age Logistic regression analyses were stratified by gender/sex and age group.…”

New insights from the Danish preventive home visit trial

“…Two of them present functional outcome data extended out to the 4.5-year follow-up [one on general functional decline patterns (Vass et al 2007a, b), and another on physical activity (Poulsen et al 2007)]. A third paper examines another secondary outcome ''tiredness in daily activities'' ).…”

Preventive home visits to older home-dwelling people in Denmark: are invitational procedures of importance?

“…Analyses were conducted with SPSS version 15.0 and included Pearson's chi-square test, bi-and multivariable logistic regression analyses with a significance level of 5%. Several studies have indicated that gender is an effect-modifier (Poulsen et al 2007, Avlund et al 2008). Hence, the multivariable logistic regression analyses were stratified by sex.…”