142nd APHA Annual Meeting and Exposition

Annual Meeting Recordings are now available for purchase

310217
Never too late: Benefits of community-based exercise groups for older adults

142nd APHA Annual Meeting and Exposition (November 15 - November 19, 2014): http://www.apha.org/events-and-meetings/annual
Wednesday, November 19, 2014

Joni Vander Bilt, MPH , Department of Epidemiology CAPH Prevention Research Center, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
Janice C. Zgibor, RPH, PhD , Department of Epidemiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
Lingshu Xue , Prevention Research Center, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
Allison Brenckle , Great Lakes Region, Arthritis Foundation, Pittsburgh, PA
Jane S. Brandenstein, BS, PT , Great Lakes Region, Western Pennsylvania, Arthritis Foundation, Pittsburgh, PA
Margaret B. Conroy, MD, MPH , Department of Epidemiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
Elizabeth A. Schlenk, PhD, RN , School of Nursing, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
Steve M. Albert, PhD , Department of Behavioral & Community Health Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
Robert Boudreau, PhD , Epidemiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
Anne B. Newman, MD, MPH , Department of Epidemiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
Background:  Physical activity in older adults has physical and mental health benefits.  The positive effects of exercise may be even greater in those without a regular exercise routine.  We examined the impact of the Arthritis Foundation Exercise Program (AFEP) in 48 community-based sites in Western Pennsylvania.   Pain and energy levels were assessed in those who self-reported a pre-program routine of “never” or “sometimes” exercising vs. those who reported “regularly” exercising.

Methods:  The exercise program for this study was a 10-week 20-session program designed for those with arthritis or joint pain.  Sixty-minute sessions include range-of-motion, endurance, strengthening, arthritis-management education, and relaxation.  Data on attendance, demographics, bodily pain, and energy were compared.  Bodily pain and energy were assessed using standard questionnaires.

Results:  The sample consisted of 378 participants (never/sometimes exercise n=244; regular exercise n=134).  Attendance and demographics did not significantly differ between groups.  Average age was 72.7 (± 8.0) years; 87.8% were women, 38% had high school education or less, and 80.3% were Caucasian; average attendance was 14 sessions (± 5.3).  Energy level on a scale of 0-10 increased significantly within the “never/sometimes” group over the 10-week program (5.84 to 6.25, p = .0046), but not within the “regular” group.  Bodily pain decreased for the “never/sometimes” group, and increased for the “regular” group; however, neither of these within-group changes was statistically significant.

Conclusions:  Although many exercise programs for older adults in community settings attract those who are already familiar with exercise, engaging and motivating those who rarely exercise can have important benefits, including energy level.

Learning Areas:

Administer health education strategies, interventions and programs
Advocacy for health and health education
Chronic disease management and prevention
Epidemiology
Public health or related research
Social and behavioral sciences

Learning Objectives:
Describe the potential impact of a group exercise class for older adults. Compare benefits for those who rarely exercise with those who regularly exercise prior to an Arthritis Foundation Exercise Program.

Keyword(s): Aging, Physical Activity

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: The first author was the project director and was actively involved in every aspect of the program. She directly engaged with the participants, instructors, Arthritis Foundation staff, community leaders, PRC director, and research staff throughout the course of the program.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.