FOCUS Guidelines and Adherence to Physical Activity in Ageing Women.
Condition: Frail Elderly Syndrome; Mood; Quality of Life; Cognitive Decline; Social Interaction; Adherence, Patient
MeSH terms: Cognitive Dysfunction
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      The study aimed at assessing whether the guidelines from the European project FOCUS had an
      effect on adherence to a physical activity program in older women. The program consisted of
      two 12-week periods, in which women followed a set of pre-specified exercises (1 hour, twice
      per week). The first period was supervised by a monitor while the second was autonomous.
      Support groups, in which the contact between participants was established through information
      and communication technologies (social-network through the mobile phone), were set up to
      maintain engagement between participants. Women were randomized to three arms consisting of 2
      intervention groups, with and without the FOCUS guidelines, and a sedentary control.
      Secondary outcomes included a battery of dimensions affecting physical performance,
      psychological status, and quality of life.
    

Detailed description: 
      The objectives of the study consisted of assessing i) whether the use of the Guidelines
      derived from the European project FOCUS had an effect on the adherence to a physical activity
      (PA) program (primary objective), and ii) the effect of the program, which included 2 h/week
      of PA, on a group of dimensions related with general health, frailty, psycho-cognitive
      parameters, and quality of life (QoL) (secondary objectives).

      The study comprised 24 weeks in which a group of 90 postmenopausal women were randomised to
      three arms, two in which participants were performing PA, and one control (no intervention).

      The first PA group followed the FOCUS guidelines, in which women received monthly health
      talks and had an internet mailbox to facilitate contact with health professionals.

      The PA program consisted of a twice per week 1-hour session along 24 weeks. This period was
      divided into two parts, a first supervised phase in which women followed group sessions under
      direct supervision of a monitor, and a second period in which the groups of women followed
      the same exercise pattern, but autonomously. A mobile phone support system (social network
      whatsapp) was used for inter-connection and mutual support during the autonomous period.
      Assessments were performed at baseline and then at 12 weeks and 24 weeks, representing the
      completion of the supervised and the autonomous periods, respectively.
    

Intervention name(s): Physical activity
Intervention type(s): Other
Intervention description(s): Physical activity as described previously.
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Intervention model description: Three groups were designed for a 24 week duration of the study. Two groups performed physical activity in two 12-week periods. A health professional acted as a supervisor during the first period. The second period was autonomous, with women providing mutual support through whatsapp, a mobile phone based social network. The first group followed the guidelines emanated from the FOCUS European project. The third group was an inactive control.
Masking: None (Open Label)
Primary purpose: Prevention
Keywords: physical activity; adherence; Frailty; Mood; Socialisation; Quality of life; Cognition