Outcome and cost-effectiveness of a community-based, individually tailored six-month physical activity intervention-a randomized, controlled and clinical trial

33^rd Euro Nursing & Medicare Summit

October 08-10, 2018 | Edinburgh, Scotland

Kerstin Frandin

Goteborg University, Sweden

Scientific Tracks Abstracts: Adv Practice Nurs

Abstract :

Many elderly people are becoming less physically active. The aim was to describe the effects of individually tailored training advice and activities, based on physiotherapy evaluation, according to the concept �??Fitness check-up�?�, on physical activity patterns and physical performance in inactive elderly persons, living in their private homes. A second aim was to examine the cost-effectiveness of �??Fitness check-up�?� compared to usual care (i.e. no support to physical activity). Fifty-seven persons over 75 years, with a low physical activity level, were randomized to either intervention or control group. Endurance, balance confidence, physical activity level, social and complex daily activities and quality of life were tested before and after the six months long intervention period. Training took place in a �??House-of-Health�?� setting. Also different kinds of social interaction, lectures and cultural activities were offered. At follow up, the IG showed significantly better results regarding endurance, activity level and fall efficacy compared to the CG. The intervention may have had an impact on health care use, but at the cost level in the study, it was not effective. The results of the study suggest that �??fitness check-up�?� connected to a house of health setting can support elderly inactive persons to exercise regularly, leading to improved physical performance but also to the benefits of a social and intellectual meeting point. Best design, considering costs and whether the participation should be timelimited or continuous, remains to be studied.

Biography :

Kerstin Frandin has her expertise in physical activity and functional performance in elderly people. She has taken an active part in the multi-professional population studies on 70-year-olds in Goteborg, Sweden, where 70-year-olds are being followed over time. She has been involved in two EU-projects on physical activity and ageing and has supervised five physiotherapists to dissertation. She has been a Senior Lecturer at both Goteborg University and Karolinska Institute in Stockholm. She has 48 scientific publications and is currently a Senior Researcher at Goteborg University.