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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Recorded presentation

Rachel Seymour, PhD¹, Susan Hughes, DSW², Karumah Cosey, BS², and Nancy Whitelaw, PHD³. (1) Institute for Health Research and Policy, Center for Research on Health and Aging, 1747 W. Roosevelt Rd, Room 558, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL 60608, (828) 478-2213, rseymo1@uic.edu, (2) Center for Research on Health and Aging, University of Illinois Chicago, 1747 W. Roosevelt Rd, Room 558, Chicago, IL 60608, (3) The National Council on the Aging, 300 D Street, SW Suite 801, Washington, DC 20024

Little is known about the impact of best practice physical activity (PA) programs in the community. We are collaborating with the National Council on the Aging and the Healthy Aging Research Network (HAN) with support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to study the impact of three best practice PA programs for older adults. A national competition was held to identify best practice PA programs in 2003. Of ten best practice programs, three were selected to participate in a randomized impact study. All three programs provide flexibility, strength and aerobic training three times per week. Five hundred and forty-four (289 treatment, 255 control) participants enrolled in the study across the three communities. Seventy-seven percent of participants were female, 17% were minorities, and less than 10% had household incomes lower than $20,000 per year. Their mean age was 65.9(range 51 to 88), and 67% of participants were overweight or obese at baseline. Outcomes data were collected at baseline, three, and nine months. Preliminary analyses demonstrate significant differences favoring the treatment group at three months with respect to participation in exercise (p = 0.024), self-efficacy for adherence to exercise over time (p = 0.010), self-efficacy for adherence in the face of barriers (p = 0.050), and upper body strength (p = 0.018). Baseline to three month findings, attendance patterns, and recruitment strategies will be presented and discussed.

Learning Objectives: