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OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effect of an activation intervention delivered in community senior centers to improve health outcomes for chronic diseases that disproportionately affect older adults. DESIGN: Two-group quasi-experimental study. SETTING: Two Los Angeles community senior centers. PARTICIPANTS: One hundred sixteen senior participants. INTERVENTION: Participants were invited to attend group screenings of video programs intended to inform about and motivate self-management of chronic conditions common in seniors. Moderated discussions reinforcing active patient participation in chronic disease management followed screenings. Screenings were scheduled over the course of 12 weeks. MEASUREMENTS: One center was assigned by coin toss to an encouragement condition in which participants received a 50 gift card if they attended at least three group screenings. Participants in the nonencouraged center received no incentive for attendance. Validated study measures for patient activation, physical activity, and health-related quality of life were completed at baseline and 12 weeks and 6 months after enrollment. RESULTS: Participants attending the encouraged senior center were more likely to attend three or more group screenings (77. 8% vs 47. 2%, P=. 001). At 6-month follow-up, participants from either center who attended three or more group screenings (n=74, 64%) reported significantly greater activation (P<. 001), more minutes walking (P<. 001) and engaging in vigorous physical activity (P=. 006), and better health-related quality of life (Medical Outcomes Study 12-item Short-Form Survey (SF-12) mental component summary, P<. 001; SF-12 physical component summary, P=. 002). CONCLUSION: Delivering this pilot intervention in community senior centers is a potentially promising approach to activating seniors that warrants further investigation for improving chronic disease outcomes.
Frosch et al. (Mon,) studied this question.