311903
Effects of a multifactorial health promotion program in improving health status of elderly in rural areas
To evaluate the effects of a multifactorial health promotion program in improving health status of elderly in rural areas.
Methods:
As an official granted program, this study recruited elderly from three community care centers in rural areas of Kaohsiung city Taiwan to participate this multifaceted intervention program from February 2012 to Nov. 2012. All subjects received: health education, guided exercises, and diet educations once a week and two hours a time. Health screenings including body mass index, body fat, blood pressure, blood sugar and urine analysis were executed in all subjects with six-item of tests of functional fitness along with EuroQoL-5D were evaluated. Two-way analysis of variance with repeated measures was used.
Results:
There were 112 elderly enrolled and 101 (90.1%) elderly participated more than 80% of the program evaluated for the outcomes. The mean age was 73.5±9.9 years old with 77 (66.2%) women with no differences of demographics in the three care centers. After study, body fat was reduced from 23.9 ±7.6 to 20.4 ±7.5 (P=0.034); 33.6 ±7.8 to 32.4 ±8.2 (P=0.005) and hyperglycemia from 54.2% to 37.5% (P=0.001); 53.2% to 36.4% (P=0.043) in men and women respectively. Most items of functional fitness were improved: 30 seconds sit-and-stand test from 13.3 to 15.4 times and bicep curl from 20.1 to 23.0 times. There EuroQoL-5D was from 0.84 to 0.86 (P=0.511). The best imaginable health status was assessed from 78.4 to 83.1 (P=0.067).
Discussion:
The health status of elderly in the rural areas might be improved from the program.
Learning Areas:
Conduct evaluation related to programs, research, and other areas of practiceImplementation of health education strategies, interventions and programs
Planning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs
Learning Objectives:
Assess the effects of a multifaceted intervention program to increase health status including the physical activity of elderly in 10 months duration in a rural area of Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
Though limited in resources, health status of elderly in rural areas could be improved by organized multifactorial intervention program including: health education, guided exercises, and diet educations once a week and two hours a time.
Keyword(s): Health Promotion and Education, Community Health Programs
Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have been the co-principal investigator and main study nurse in many cerebrovascular disease from acute setting to longterm care.
The health status is an important research question to almost all the studies I have been through.
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.