How to Use Physical Activity Monitors to Facilitate Behavioural Change in Elderly

Background

Even though the overall functional decline in life cannot be prevented, elderly who engage in regular physical activity or exercise will have a lower all-cause mortality and a lower prevalence of many non-communicable diseases and disabilities [1-4]. Walking programs with elderly are effective in increasing physical activity on a short term, but the programs should be individualized to maintain long term participation [5]. 

Walking interventions based on activity monitoring are becoming more frequent and hence, an increasing number of scientific results suggest that the monitors can facilitate motivational behavioral change [6,7]. In recent years, several randomized controlled trials have been published, with positive results [8-13]. However, some heterogeneity of the results exists and the studies differ in many ways [8-13]. Other randomized controlled trials found no effect on physical activity in elderly [14-16] so in summary, as the use of activity monitoring are becoming more frequent, many questions arise on how to implement activity monitors to elderly and how to facilitate long term healthy choices related to physical activity. 

Current projects: systematic review, validation study, an intervention study and a qualitative project.

This is a PhD project at the research unit CopenRehab at faculty of Health and Medical Science. The primary objective for the project is to use multiple study designs to clarify how activity monitors can be used as facilitators to increase physical activity in elderly. 

A systematic review and a meta-analysis to estimate the effect size of using activity monitors to enhance the level of daily physical activity in elderly. The study is ongoing, registered in PROSPERO (CRD42018083648) and the protocol for the study is currently in review. 

A validation study to investigate the measurement properties of four off the shelf activity monitors. Elderly have a slower walking pace and a different step cycle than healthy younger adults and it is expected that this will affect the validity of the activity monitors in elderly. The study started in March 2018 and will include more than 100 participants.

A RCT with a customized intervention based on the findings from the systematic review, the validation study and a participatory design strategy, will be undertaken. After the intervention, participants from both groups will be interviewed in relation to their experiences with the activity monitors, which will serve as the last study.

Funding

This project is a part of the Responsive Engagement of the elderly promoting Activity Customized Healthcare (REACH 2020) and hence, received funding from European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement no 690425.

References

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