Re-recruiting intervention “successes” for an active maintenance intervention encouraging physical activity and healthy eating in older adults: The SENIOR II Project

The SENIOR II Project attempted to enroll “successes” from a prior stage-based physical activity and dietary intervention into a new, active maintenance intervention. To be eligible for the study the older adults must have been in action or maintenance stage for either physical activity or fruit and vegetable consumption at the completion of SENIOR I. However, enrollment for SENIOR II began 42 months after the completion of SENIOR I, creating unique challenges for re-recruiting older adults into a new health intervention. There were 789 individuals eligible for enrollment based upon their 24-month data. Various statistical techniques were used to determine differences in 24-month data among older adults that did not enroll versus those who did enroll in the study. Those enrolled were more likely to be female (75% vs. 67%), younger (74.0 vs. 75.9 yrs.), and report excellent/very good health (54% vs. 45%). There were no differences by ethnicity, marital status, income, or education. Behaviorally, those who enrolled in the project were more likely to be in the action/maintenance stages for exercise (70% vs. 57%), use more of the exercise processes of change, and report more physical activity as measured by the Yale Physical Activity Survey. Results suggest that we were able to enroll a fairly representative sample of those eligible at the end of the previous trial into the new active maintenance trial. Discussion will include challenges and strategies of re-recruiting for either a new project or a long-term follow-up in an older adult population after a long hiatus.