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Healthy lifestyle promotion program including vaccination for dyads of seniors and their companions: A randomized trial


Sunday, November 1, 2015

Maryse Guay, Department of Community Health Sciences, University of Sherbrooke, Longueuil, QC, Canada
Gina Bravo, Department of Community Health Sciences, University of Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
Lise Trottier, University Institute of Geriatrics of Sherbrooke, Research Centre on Aging, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
Marie-France Dubois, Department of Community Health Sciences, University of Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
Marcel Arcand, Department of Family Medicine, University of Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
Daniele Blanchette, Department of Accounting Sciences and Taxation, University of Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
Anne-Marie Boire-Lavigne, Department of Family Medicine, University of Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
Paule Hottin, Department of Psychiatry, University of Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
Julie Lane, University Institute of Geriatrics of Sherbrooke, Department of Coordination and Academic Affairs, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
Suzanne Bellemare, University Institute of Geriatrics of Sherbrooke, Research Centre on Aging, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
Karen Painter, University Institute of Geriatrics of Sherbrooke, Research Centre on Aging, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
Introduction: Few interventions promoting a healthy lifestyle include vaccination. The Healthy Duo Program (HDP) was tested as the control intervention in a randomized trial assessing the efficacy of an advance care planning (ACP) intervention. The HDP was designed for dyads made up of a senior (≥ 70 years) and a self-selected companion. It consisted of three monthly 150-minute workshops aimed at fostering healthy habits through discussions facilitated by a trained nurse. Topics addressed included vaccination, physical activity, and diet.

Methods: From April 2011 to February 2014, the trial involved 235 dyads (117 HDP; 118 ACP). The data come from pre and 6-month post-intervention questionnaires that included items on participants’ influenza, zoster and pneumococcal vaccine status.

Results: Baseline vaccine status did not differ between the HDP and ACP groups, for both seniors and companions. At baseline, proportions of seniors who had received the influenza, zoster and pneumococcal vaccine were 63.8%, 2.1% and 65.5%, respectively. Figures for companions were 58.7%, 2.5% and 42.5%. None of the Group-by-Time interactions were significant (all ps>0.20). Pre-post comparisons in the HDP groups revealed a significant increase in the proportions of seniors vaccinated against influenza (from 62.4% to 68.9%, p=0.040) and of companions vaccinated against zoster (from 2.6% to 4.4%, p=0.046). No differences were significant in the ACP group.

Conclusion: These data suggest that only negligible gains had been made with the HDP. The HDP should be reviewed if vaccine coverage improvement is targeted.

Learning Areas:

Conduct evaluation related to programs, research, and other areas of practice
Implementation of health education strategies, interventions and programs
Public health or related education
Public health or related research

Learning Objectives:
Evaluate the efficacy of an intervention promoting a healthy lifestyle which includes immunization targeting dyads of seniors and their companions.

Keyword(s): Aging, Immunizations

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have been the principal or co-principal of multiple publicly funded grants in Quebec, Canada focusing on program evaluation and immunization program evaluation. I am member of the Quebec Immunization Committee which is responsible for counselling the Quebec Ministry of Health on immunization programs.
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.

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