Preprint Article Version 1 Preserved in Portico This version is not peer-reviewed

Ecological Predictors of Older Adults’ Participation and Retention in a Physical Activity Intervention

Manuela Peters
* ORCID logo ,
Tiara Ratz
ORCID logo ,
Frauke Wichmann
,
Claudia Voelcker-Rehage
,
Sonia Lippke
ORCID logo ,
Claudia R. Pischke
Version 1 : Received: 19 February 2022 / Approved: 22 February 2022 / Online: 22 February 2022 (03:47:38 CET)

A peer-reviewed article of this Preprint also exists.

Peters, M.; Ratz, T.; Wichmann, F.; Lippke, S.; Voelcker-Rehage, C.; Pischke, C.R. Ecological Predictors of Older Adults’ Participation and Retention in a Physical Activity Intervention. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19, 3190. Peters, M.; Ratz, T.; Wichmann, F.; Lippke, S.; Voelcker-Rehage, C.; Pischke, C.R. Ecological Predictors of Older Adults’ Participation and Retention in a Physical Activity Intervention. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19, 3190.

Abstract

Research is still lacking regarding the question as to how programs to promote healthy aging should be organized in order to increase acceptance and thus effectiveness. For older adults, ecological factors, such as physical distance to program sites, might predict participation and retention. Thus, the key aim of this analysis was to examine these factors in a physical activity intervention trial. Adults (N=8,299) aged 65 to 75 years were invited to participate and n=589 participants were randomly assigned to one of two intervention groups with 10 weeks of physical activity home practice and exercise classes or a wait-list control group. Response, participation, and dropout data were compared regarding ecological, individual, and study-related variables. Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox regression models were used to determine predictors of dropout. In total, 405 participants completed the study. Weekly class attendance rates were examined regarding significant weather conditions and holiday periods. The highest rates of nonresponse were observed in districts with very high neighborhood levels of socioeconomic status. In this study, ecological factors did not appear to be significant predictors of dropout, whereas certain individual and study-related variables were predictive. Future studies should consider these factors during program planning to mobilize and keep subjects in the program.

Keywords

response; dropout; older adults; physical activity interventions; OSM; GIS

Subject

Public Health and Healthcare, Nursing

Copyright: This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

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