JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Maintaining physical activity and physical function is important for healthy aging. We recently completed a randomized controlled trial of a targeted knowledge translation intervention delivered through the McMaster optimal aging portal. The goal of the study was to increase physical activity and physical mobility in middle-aged and older adults.

Objective:

The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to explore which knowledge translation strategies were used by both intervention and control group participants, as well as the intervention groups’ engagement, satisfaction and perceived usefulness of the targeted knowledge translation intervention to gain a more in depth understanding of our quantitative findings.

Methods:

Process evaluation data was gathered through Google analytics and Hootsuite throughout the intervention, and through a combination of open-ended surveys and qualitative interviews with a subset of participants at the end of the study.

Results:

Throughout the intervention period, engagement with content delivered through weekly emails was highest, and participants rated email content most favorably in both surveys and interviews. Participants were generally satisfied with the intervention, noting the ease of participating and distillation of information in an easy to access format being beneficial features. Participants who did not find the intervention useful were those with already high levels of baseline physical activity or physical function, and those who were looking for more specific or individualized content.

Conclusions:

This process evaluation provides insight into our randomized controlled trial findings and provides information that can be used to improve future online knowledge translation interventions. Clinical Trial: Clinicaltrials.gov NCT02947230 https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/nct02947230