Integrating a health prevention program into a collaborative framework in community-based research

Background: The University of Pittsburgh Prevention Research Center (PRC) developed the “10 Keys”TM to Healthy Aging program in 2001 in response to the need to promote healthy aging. Primary goals of the program were outreach and collaboration. The PRC partnered with the Arthritis Foundation of Western Pennsylvania and targeted older adults with arthritis or joint pain for a community-based intervention. The collaboration involved designing a ten week curriculum based on the Arthritis Foundation Exercise Program and integrated healthy aging messages from the “10 Keys”TM; instructor training; and recruiting host sites, instructors, and participants. Methods: Assessments at baseline and 10 weeks included the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) (range 0-12), blood pressure, BMI, cholesterol and glucose levels, and questionnaire (preventive health practices, the Stanford self-efficacy scale (range 0-10), loneliness scale (range 0-12), WOMAC® Osteoarthritis Index scales: joint pain, stiffness (range 0-8), and function (range 0-68)). Classes were held twice weekly for 51 study participants in four sites. Results: Participants had a mean age of 75.5 years, were 88% female, and 92% Caucasian. In pre-post program analyses, a significant improvement was observed in the scale score medians of self-efficacy for accessing information about prevention (9 to 10), loneliness (4 to 3), joint stiffness (4 to 3), and function (24 to 14). The median SPPB total score increased (10-11) with borderline significance. Conclusions: This CBPR project had benefits not only for program participants but for communities. A foundation for expansion of this collaborative community program was successfully established.