JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Despite known health benefits of physical activity (PA), less than half of the population of older adults in Germany currently reach the PA recommendations of the World Health Organization regarding endurance training and less than a third for strength training. The aim of this study is to investigate implementation and effectiveness of two interventions (IT- vs. print-based) for PA promotion among initially inactive older adults over the course of nine months in a randomized trial with a cross-over design. The study is part of a large research consortium (2015-2021) investigating different aspects of PA promotion. Hence, the IT-based intervention was previously developed and refined, the print-based intervention was newly developed during this funding phase.

Objective:

In this study, we aim to compare the effectiveness of both delivery modes and examine preferences of study participants regarding different modes.

Methods:

Our target sample size was to recruit 390 initially inactive community-dwelling older adults aged 60 years and above (T1: expected n=300, T2: expected n=240) to the study at baseline and randomize them to one of two interventions for self-monitoring PA: (a) an IT-based intervention (50%), (b) a print-based intervention (50%). Thirty percent of those in group (a) received a PA tracker in addition to the IT-based intervention. After the three-months follow-up (T1), participants in both groups could choose whether they prefered to keep their assigned intervention material or cross over to the other group and use different intervention material for the following six months (T2). Participants’ intervention preferences at baseline were measured retrospectively to run a post-hoc matched-mismatched analysis. Across the initial three-months intervention period, both intervention groups were offered weekly group sessions which were continued monthly for another six months post-T1. A self-administered questionnaire and three-dimensional accelerometers were employed to assess changes in PA between baseline and three- and nine-months follow-ups. Adherence to PA recommendations, attendance of group sessions, and acceptance of the interventions were also tracked.

Results:

The funding period of our study started in February 2018 and ends in January 2021. We obtained IRB-approval for the study from the Medical Association in Bremen on July 3rd, 2018. Data assessment will reach completion at the end of January 2020 and data cleaning and analysis will start in February 2020. We expect to publish first results of the study by the end of the funding period.

Conclusions:

Strategies for promoting active ageing are of particular relevance in Germany, as in 2030, 29% of the population is projected to be over the age of 65 years. Regular PA is a key contributor to healthy ageing. This study will provide insights into acceptance and effectiveness of an IT- vs. a print-based intervention for the promotion of PA in initially inactive individuals aged 60 years and above. The role of personal preferences for intervention delivery mode with regard to intervention effectiveness will additionally be examined in this trial and recommendations for a future roll-out of these interventions targeting different user groups will be delineated. To conclude, results obtained in this study will improve the existing evidence base on the effectiveness of community-based PA interventions in Germany and will inform and support efforts to anchor evidence-based PA interventions in community structures and organizations via an allocation of permanent health insurance funds. Clinical Trial: The study is registered at the German Clinical Trials Register on January 10th, 2019 – number DRKS00016073.