Older adults' preferences for, adherence to and experiences of two self-management falls prevention home exercise programmes: a comparison between a digital programme and a paper booklet.
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ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND:Fall prevention exercise programmes are known to be effective, but access to these programmes is not always possible. The use of eHealth solutions might be a way forward to increase access and reach a wider population. In this feasibility study the aim was to explore the choice of programme, adherence, and self-reported experiences comparing two exercise programmes - a digital programme and a paper booklet. METHODS:A participant preference trial of two self-managed fall prevention exercise interventions. Community-dwelling adults aged 70?years and older exercised independently for four months after one introduction meeting. Baseline information was collected at study start, including a short introduction of the exercise programme, a short physical assessment, and completion of questionnaires. During the four months intervention period, participants self-reported their performed exercises in an exercise diary. At a final meeting, questionnaires about their experiences, and post-assessments, were completed. For adherence analyses data from diaries were used and four subgroups for different levels of participation were compared. Exercise maintenance was followed up with a survey 12?months after study start. RESULTS:Sixty-seven participants, with mean age 77?±?4?years were included, 72% were women. Forty-three percent chose the digital programme. Attrition rate was 17% in the digital programme group and 37% in the paper booklet group (p =?.078). In both groups 50-59% reported exercise at least 75% of the intervention period. The only significant difference for adherence was in the subgroup that completed ?75% of exercise duration, the digital programme users exercised more minutes per week (p =?.001). Participants in both groups were content with their programme but digital programme users reported a significantly higher (p =?.026) degree of being content, and feeling supported by the programme (p =?.044). At 12?months follow-up 67% of participants using the digital programme continued to exercise regularly compared with 35% for the paper booklet (p =?.036). CONCLUSIONS:Exercise interventions based on either a digital programme or a paper booklet can be used as a self-managed, independent fall prevention programme. There is a similar adherence in both programmes during a 4-month intervention, but the digital programme seems to facilitate long-term maintenance in regular exercise. TRIAL REGISTRATION:ClinTrial: NCT02916849.
SUBMITTER: Mansson L
PROVIDER: S-EPMC7294667 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Jun
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
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