bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
S3-3 Effects of a physical literacy intervention delivered in a medical center setting
Authors: Weerts Jean-Pierre , Mouton Alexandre
Published: September 2023

Purpose

The concept of Physical Literacy (PL) suggests that an individual with a holistic vision of physical activity will have more chances to remain physically active over life (Longmuir & Tremblay, 2016). Following the development of an assessment tool for PL specifically targeting an adult population with chronic disease, our study sought to find out the effect of successive PL interventions by a physical educator in a medical center on the PL level of patients.

Methods

A quantitative, within-subject design was conducted. PL program adhesion was promoted by doctors or physiotherapists of the medical center. Volunteered patients took part in two PL assessments and counseling meetings with a specialized physical educator. Following a general anamnesis and the Ricci-Gagnon physical activity questionnaire, PL scores were calculated based on a new assessment tool design, consisting of a 40-item questionnaire and 4 physical tests; and divided into the 4 domains of PL (psychological, social, cognitive, physical). With the intervention being electronically completed during the assessment, feedback was given immediately to the patient. Following a motivational interviewing technique, results were discussed with the patient leading towards appropriate SMART individual goals to be set.

Results

A total of 108 patients with at least one chronic disease (71% female, 56±15 years) underwent assessment 1, with 46 patients (74% female, 61±13 years) completing assessment 2 (46 days later on average). Significant improvements were demonstrated for the overall PL score (p < 0,001) as well as the cognitive (p = 0,001) and physical domains (p = 0,032). No significant changes were found for the psychological and social domain. Additionally, no significant difference in changes were found based on age, sex or nature of the chronic disease.

Conclusions

This pilot-study was a first attempt to measure and evaluate the significance of changes in PL scores for a population of adults with chronic disease. If validation of this developed assessment tool requires more research, results show promising effect of an intervention by ongoing support of PL on the domains and overall scores of PL.

Funding Source

This study received no external funding.
S3-4 Social prescription: a meaning for general medicine in Belgium? A qualitative exploration with patients and healthcare providers about the physical literacy counselling program
Authors: Godin Géraldine , Mouton Alexandre
Published: September 2023

Purpose

In a society where the population is aging and chronic diseases are more and more present, social determinants of health occupy a growing place in primary care medicine. As the demand for holistic care is growing, the bio-psycho-social model takes on its full meaning within primary health care.(1) The “social prescribing” model, introduced in many countries in recent years, allows the integration of non-medical care into the primary health care system without overburdening the health professional. (2) Social prescribing enables general practitioners and others primary care professionals to refer people to a range of non clinical services to support their health such as the intervention of physical activity specialists.

Methods

This study defines social prescribing and discusses successful aspects and challenges of the model in targeted prescription of physical activity. It also evaluates a pilot project set up in Belgium in 2022 to test the model. The pilot project aimed at promoting, through doctors and physiotherapists of the medical center, the orientation of patients to physical literacy counselling meetings leaded by a specialized physical educator. The purpose of this study was then to explore, qualitatively, patients and staff of a medical center about their opinion over a physical literacy counselling program. Interviews of patients and healthcare providers were undertaken during this project.

Results

The strengths of the pilot project developed include successful implementation of holistic patient-centered care, strengthening of patients’ mental and physical well-being alongside empowering their health. In addition, the project successfully foster preventive care and demonstrates how primary care may transform into primary health care. However, many challenges remain including the sustainability of the model itself, the availability of the services offered, the financial support and the low commitment of doctors and patients.

Conclusions

this study highlights first guidelines to introduce the model into the practice of primary healthcare in Belgium. Although the project shows limitations, the theoretical model remains promising and opens up new potential horizons for the practice of general medicine in Belgium.

Funding Source

This study received no external funding.
S4-4 The Wales Physical Activity Partnership during covid-19: a case study of a long-term strategic cross-sector alliance
Authors: Kolovou Vasiliki , Bolton Nicola , Crone Diane
Published: September 2023

Purpose

We aimed to investigate partnership-working across sectors through the example of the Wales Physical Activity Partnership (WPAP). Three national organisations specialising in sport, environment and public health formed a strategic alliance under the Welsh Government’s direction to support the long-term innovative legislation of the Wellbeing of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015 (WBFGA).

Methods

We completed in-depth semi-structured interviews with WPAP members (n = 9, August 2021 to March 2022) involved in the leadership, management and work-stream levels of the partnership. The leadership group members were interviewed twice, with 12 months between interviews, to follow-up progress of the partnership and changes in strategic direction. The interviews were transcribed and analysed in NVivo using Braun & Clarke’s (2014) thematic analysis.

Results

The participants had experiences of operating in leadership, management and working group roles within the partnership, each representing their organisation. The major themes were related to the partners sudden change in short-term priorities and the efforts to maintain momentum in line with the long-term direction of their alliance. The Covid-19 pandemic was felt to accentuate underlying issues, by limiting capacity and halting momentum in the developing the partners’ shared agenda. The leadership group remained confident of the added value to their organisations by connecting sport, environment and public health and recognised the shared responsibility of their organisation in supporting the Welsh Government to increase physical activity across Wales. The working group members felt that the governance structure and division of work-streams diluted the potential of the three partners, and often felt “compartmentalised” and there was limited communication between work-streams.

Conclusions

The impact from the Covid-19 pandemic was a barrier to building and maintaining momentum in this partnership between sport environment and public health. Wales is the first country to impose that public organisations bear a legislative duty to evidence their contribution towards the long-term strategy to improve physical activity, health and wellbeing via the WBFGA. Innovative legislation has provided a foundation for organisations in diverse sectors to shift their agendas to evidence long-term contributions but short-term pressures, such as the Covid-19 pandemic, may dilute the commitment and strategic intent.
S6-3 Barriers, facilitators and strategies to implement physical activity advice and referral to exercise therapy for people with hip and knee OA in primary care
Authors: Schiphof Dieuwke , Damen Jurgen , Bierma-Zeinstra Sita , van Middelkoop Marienke
Published: September 2023

Aim

Osteoarthritis (OA) is one of the most common diseases in the Netherlands. Most people with OA are seen in primary care. Core treatment for knee and hip OA in general practice is information and advice on physical activity and referral to exercise therapy. All Dutch guidelines on osteoarthritis recommend exercise therapy before a referral to secondary care. Despite the guidelines, only around 60% of the people on the waiting list for a replacement surgery have received exercise therapy. This study aims to provide insight in barriers and facilitators of General Practitioners (GPs) and possible strategies for advice on physical activity and referral to exercise therapy for people with knee and hip OA.

Method

A literature searched was conducted to identify barriers and facilitators of healthcare professionals (HCPs) to give people with OA advice about being physically active and refer them to exercise therapy. In two focus groups with GPS the identified barriers and facilitators were discussed and prioritized. A third focus group was used to prioritize the barriers and facilitators. The prioritized barriers and facilitators were classified within the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR). In a third meeting the prioritizing was checked and the first ideas for strategies, based on the Expert Recommendations for Implementing Change (ERIC) tool, were discussed.

Results

Barriers and facilitators out of seven papers were discussed. Most important barriers found in two focus groups (N = 12) were: time, lack of uniform information of HCPs, and cooperation between different HCPs. In the third meeting with other GPs (N = 32) different barriers in addition to the existing barriers, were mentioned: doubts about effectivity and patients’ expectations. Ideas about strategies based on the ERIC tool were education, involvement of patients, organizing regional meetings with different HCPs.

Conclusion

Different barriers were mentioned as most important in the focus groups, but all GPs agreed on the importance of the barrier of cooperation with different HCPs and uniform information to people with OA. Strategies that will be further developed, tested and evaluated are education for HCPs, organizations of interprofessional regional meetings and development of uniform information for people with OA.
S7-2 From HEPA to sustainable HEPA?
Authors: Abu-Omar Karim , Gelius Peter , Messing Sven , Tcymbal Antonina , Kovacs Viktoria
Published: September 2023

Purpose

Current climate change poses a challenge to physical activity (PA) promotion. Not only is PA more difficult in heat and people need to adapt, but also many physical activities come with a comparable high carbon footprint. While the field of PA promotion has so far utilized the health-enhancing physical activity (HEPA) concept to define and promote PA, it might be asked if this concept needs to be amended in order to account for the environmental impact of PA. The aim of the presentation is to critically analyze existing concepts of PA promotion and also healthy diet and suggest potential steps towards a concept of sustainable HEPA.

Methods

To deal with the difficult question on how to consider climate change in non-communicable disease prevention, the WHO Europe hosted an expert meeting in the fall of last year on which the concepts of sustainable diet and sustainable PA were discussed. Additionally, some articles and reviews related to interactions between PA and planetary health were screened, and international PA documents reviewed.

Results

The HEPA model is based on a bio-medical model of health and represents the best available evidence from epidemiological studies on the health effects of PA. This model is very well suited to promote PA among individuals, but tends to ignore the environmental impacts of people engaging in PA. A concept of sustainable HEPA that draws on the concept of sustainable diet would allow to account for the environmental impact of PA besides the health effects. However, the development of such a concept would also in all likelihood results in more complex messages about what type and how much PA people should do for themselves and for the public.

Conclusions

There might be a need to develop a new concept for PA promotion. In order to do so, however, a number of ethical and also practical questions would need to be answered. Potentially, collaborating closely with the field of nutrition and drawing on the experiences they made in developing the concept of sustainable diet can be helpful to overcome some of these challenges.

Support/Funding Source

no outside funding.
S7-5 How scared are you? A scoping of review of the consequences of eco-anxiety on physical activity
Authors: Derigny Thibaut , Potdevin François , Gandrieau Joseph , Mekkaoui Léa , Schnitzler Christophe
Published: September 2023

Purpose

Physical activity (PA) is a good way to improve people’s health, and when used as a means for active transportation, it reduces up to ten times GES emissions as compared to cars. Promoting active transportation potentially impacts positively the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 3 (‘good health’), 11 (‘sustainable cities and communities’) and 13 (‘climate action’). However, the prevalence of fears due to environmental anxiety (‘eco-anxiety’) has grown significantly over the last decade. Eco-anxiety are feeling of fear, worry, or concern about the state of the environment and the potential consequences of climate change and other environmental issues. It can be caused by a variety of factors, including exposure to degraded and polluted environment, extreme climatic events, but also media coverage of environmental disasters, a lack of government action on environmental issues, and a sense of helplessness or powerlessness to make a difference. Nevertheless, to our knowledge, the effect of eco-anxiety on PA has not been documented. Our research questions are: (1) what are the effects of eco-anxiety on PA? (2) to what extend is it reducing active transportation? (3) can the promotion of active transportation helps fight the consequences of eco-anxiety? (4) what evidence gaps require further research for promotion and public policies?

Methods

We undertake a comprehensive scoping review. We search in eleven main databases studies that explicitly question the relationship between PA and CO2 carbon emissions. The evidence from eligible reviews will be extracted and mapped according to the format Participant, Context, Concept. We will classify the overall findings as positive, negative, or inconclusive, in their relation between perception and PA practices.

Results

Data collection is currently in progress. We hypothesise that eco-anxiety has negative effects on PA, especially on active transportation, but that a promotion by publics policies which considers this phenomenon can achieve the dual objective of individual health / GES reduction.

Conclusions

Eco-anxiety can lead to paradoxical effects that should be better understood, so that public policies should orient their promotion of strategies to reduce CO2 emissions by using active transport, while avoiding their deleterious effects.

Support/Funding Source

no funding.
S8-3 How do national sport federations implement health promotion? A case study analysis in France
Authors: Tezier Benjamin , Van Hoye Aurélie , Winand Mathieu , Rostan Florence , Lemonnier Fabienne , Johnson Stacey , Vuillemin Anne
Published: September 2023

Purpose

Sports club’s health promotion (HP) has been investigated, illustrating their need for resources, such as support from national sports federations (NSF), to develop into health-promoting settings. The present study investigates how French NSF promote health.

Methods

A two-step case study design was undertaken. A website analysis of 51 NSF, recognized as health promoting by the Olympic Committee, was executed to examine HP visibility, presence in strategic plans, committees and programs. Based on this search, four NSF were chosen for an in-depth study, including interviews with representatives and a document analysis. Data were analyzed based on the Ottawa Charter strategies for HP.

Results

NSF are committed to HP, but HP is not mentioned directly, not visible, nor properly understood. Rather, a health topic approach is adopted, specifically focusing on strategies to enhance social and physical health. HP implementation lacks coordination, where resource investment is based on the sports ministries focus on specific health topics, in a reactive manner, to implement national policies. NSF’s implementation of HP is aligned with findings from sports clubs, limiting further contributions towards guidelines to support HP in their affiliated clubs.

Conclusions

Future research should investigate determinants of HP implementation among NSF to increase their pro-active approach to promote health. Practical implications include a recognition of HP beyond health topics, an integration of health as a transversal aim in NSF’s policies and programs and a governance system coordinating HP activities.

Funding

The work was supported through a partnership between Santé Publique France, Université Côte d’Azur and the Université de Lorraine.
S10-3 Research on policy audits for promoting physical activity at the local level in Japan
Authors: Takeda Noriko , Oida Yukio , Inoue Shigeru , Miyachi Motohiko
Published: September 2023

Purpose

Increasing levels of health-enhancing physical activity (HEPA) requires a comprehensive policy framework across all political levels. At the local level, Japan has a two-tier system of government: prefectures and municipalities. We developed specific tools to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the implementation of national HEPA policies by the different local governments.

Methods

We started by developing and testing the Local Policy Audit Tool (L-PAT) in all 47 Japanese prefectures (Takeda et al. 2019). It comprises 11 items based on WHO’s HEPA Policy Audit Tool (PAT), covering key policy actions such as: the presence of a local action plan; its implementation; and cross-sectoral cooperation. The L-PAT was sent to key government departments (e.g. health, sports, urban planning and transport) in all prefectures. As a second step, we assessed the development and implementation of local action plans for HEPA promotion in municipalities using the City PAT (C-PAT), which employs six questions based on the HEPA PAT. We surveyed a random selection of 272 out of Japan’s 1,700+ municipalities, stratified by administrative division and population.

Results

The results of the L-PAT indicate that health and sports are the most active departments in promoting HEPA policy at prefecture level. Some prefectures also reported HEPA actions by the urban planning and transport sectors, although these sectors are not covered by the national policy. A major result of the C-PAT survey was that the scale and contents of projects implemented differed depending on the size of the municipality. Both tools revealed that local governments have a low awareness of the “Japanese physical activity guidelines for health promotion 2013” in their policy planning and implementation.

Conclusions

In 2023, both the Japanese physical activity guidelines and the government's most comprehensive health policy, “Healthy Japan 21”, will undergo major revisions. The next step after the L-PAT and C-PAT would be to revise the content of the C-PAT questionnaire to increase its usefulness; that is, a policy audit tool for continuously monitoring local HEPA policies will be created on this occasion, aimed at supporting future national planning processes for HEPA promotion.
S10-4 A comparative evaluation of local governments’ roles in HEPA policy promotion in municipalities from 4 EU countries and Japan
Authors: Sandu Petru , Chereches Razvan Mircea , Papiu Antonia Paula , Gelius Peter , Messing Sven , Vuillemin Anne , Garbarino Jean-Marie , Takeda Noriko , Oida Yukio , Onatsu Tanja , Tuunanen Katariina , Mocan Dan
Published: September 2023

Purpose

Local governments’ engagement and performance in physical activity promotion is essential to try to reach the nationally and internationally planned population physical activity goals. However, currently, in most countries/settings, local HEPA policy monitoring and evaluation is largely voluntary and often too context specific, using instruments and methods tailored for that specific contexts.

The aim of the Erasmus + Sport co-financed project LoGoPAS was to assess, promote and support local governments' involvement in HEPA (policy) promotion.

Methods

We used complementary qualitative methods (literature review, document analysis, stakeholders’ interviews, stakeholders’ meetings) to analyze and describe the legally binding roles and voluntary based activities of local governments in PA (policy) promotion in selected municipalities from Finland, France, Germany, Japan, and Romania. The data was compiled and presented comparatively between municipalities using an already validated policy monitoring & evaluation tool, the CAPLA- Santé.

Results

The 5 selected municipalities were: Jyväskylä – Finland, Nice – France, Erlangen-Germany, Fujisawa – Japan, Cluj-Napoca – Romania. Following the methods described above and the chapters structure of the CAPLA- Santé we noticed a few similarities (e.g., the existence of a dedicated structure within the municipality, focus of the policy on several population sub-groups, heavy reliance on national or local budgets) and several differences (e.g., the different levels of evidence used in policy development and implementation, differences in the levels and means of monitoring and evaluation) between settings. There are examples of good practice from each setting, e.g. the strength of financing and evaluation in Jyväskylä, the focus on vulnerable populations in Nice, the collaborative approach in Erlangen, the diversity of physical activity promotion programs in Fujisawa and the opportunistic use of external (EU) financing in Cluj-Napoca.

Conclusion

EU and global Comparative analyses of HEPA policy using a validated instrument can offer insight into different approaches, support and stimulate the further engagement of local administrations in physical activity promotion. The efforts to monitor and evaluate physical activity policy should be intensified and potentially/ideally institutionalized.
S10-5 Legislations and regulations of French public policies promoting health-enhancing physical activity at the local level: do governments adopt a whole system approach?
Authors: Racine Antoine Noel , Van Hoye Aurelie , Vuillemin Anne
Published: September 2023

Purpose

Physical inactivity are complex problems to address. System thinking approach (STA) can be a solution to take into account the diversity of upstream factors by identifying leverage points and potential co-benefits of public policies. STA has not been explored at the local level in France. Based on existing local legislations and regulations, this study aims at providing a system approach to health-enhancing physical activity (HEPA) for policymakers.

Methods

This study was conducted in five stages by the research team: (1) a systematic search of document has been used to identify French public policies’ legislations and regulations promoting HEPA at local level ; (2) main characteristics for each legislation or regulation were reviewed and extracted to a data extraction form: administration holder, sector holder, political purpose, political commitment, policy timeframe and potential policy partners ; (3) a whole system map of legislations and regulations options to promote HEPA at local level was developed using STA ; (4) the HEPA policies of 10 French mid-size municipalities were collected using a local policy audit tool (i.e. CAPLA-Santé) ; (5) the system map developed was compared with the policy audit.

Results

A total of 26 legislations and regulations options to promote HEPA at local level were identified from sport, education, transport, urban-planning, sustainable development, housing, social and health sectors. The comparison of the whole system map with the policy audit of mid-size municipalities showed that local governments used few legislations and regulations options among their possibilities to promote HEPA (i.e. range of 0-4).

Conclusions

HEPA promotion could be integrated in many public policies at local level. However, local governments included in our study did not adopt a whole system approach to promote HEPA, rather a silo sectorial approach. The use of STA may help policymakers to highlight and develop their legislations and regulations options to promote HEPA and maximize co-benefits.
S11-5 Recruitment of physically inactive adults to participate in the standardized program Jackpot.fit. Which strategies within the health system work?
Authors: Titze Sylvia , Novak Bernhard , Schweiger Markus
Published: September 2023

Purpose

The Jackpot.fit program was developed by the Austrian health insurance funds and the organized sport with the aim of offering a standardized training for physically inactive adults. The first semester is free of charge. The original idea was that health insurance companies would use different strategies to recruit participants and that organized sports would offer the standardized program in local sports clubs. In this context, we wanted to investigate which recruitment strategies work well.

Methods

In one region of the province of Styria (Austria), we wanted to offer a dense network of Jackpot.fit classes, as the sports program was to take place close to home. Adults who signed up for Jackpot.fit received an online questionnaire. One question asked: “How did you find out about Jackpot.fit?” Ten answers were available for selection, with multiple responses possible. Responses could be categorized into four areas: Information from the health care system, from the community, from the sports clubs, and from friends/acquaintances. The questionnaire was sent to 394 persons and 133 (34%) completed it (mean age 56 ± 9 years, 73% women).

Results

One health insurance company sent letters to its insured, which was the most successful strategy (mentioned by 33 participants = approximately 25%). The second best strategy is word of mouth through friends/acquaintances (28 participants). Other good recruitment strategies are the community newspaper (23 participants), and activities of the sports club trainer (19 participants). 437 general practitioners working within a 10 km radius of a Jackpot.fit course were informed in writing about Jackpot.fit and were asked to inform their inactive patients participating in Jackpot.fit. However, of the 133 participants, only 3 indicated that their primary care physician informed them about the program.

Conclusion

Health insurance companies can successfully recruit physically inactive adults with a letter to a standardized sports club program near their home. Community information channels and word of mouth have also been successful. Although the network of general practitioners working in the region is dense, written information about the program was not a successful recruitment strategy. Therefore, different recruitment approaches by different actors seem to work best.
S13-2 VARCITIES puts the citizens and the 'human community' in the eye of the future cities’ vision
Authors: Kolokotsa Denia , Tsekeri Elisavet , Lilli Katerina
Published: September 2023

In an increasingly urbanized world, local governments and international institutions strive to increase the productivity and efficiency of cities, recognized as economic growth hubs, as well as ensure a better quality of life and better living conditions for citizens. To meet these challenges, VARCITIES puts the citizen and the “human community” in the eye of the future cities’ vision. The aim of the VARCITIES project is to translate visionary ideas into real solutions by reshaping shared public spaces and making cities livable and welcoming.

Seven municipalities that are exposed to diverse climatic conditions and challenges around Europe have been identified as case studies. Each pilot city has recognized a large-scale site for co-designing and implementing local actions and has adopted an innovative cross-sectoral approach by combining urban digital transformation with nature-based actions. This innovative solution's implementation is consistent with the increase in citizens' awareness, respect for public spaces, and the integration of green spaces into everyday life. Developing a healthy green mindset for citizens and improving economic opportunities through green-digital strategies, drives the implementation of additional actions towards becoming a more sustainable and equitable city. The development process of these visionary ideas into feasible actions is approached by following a bottom-up planning and co-design participatory process involving local stakeholders, assuming a “multiple benefits” perspective, and also addressing social issues and cultural diversion.
S13-3 Translating visionary ideas into real solutions across VARCITIES' Pilot Cities
Authors: Van Rompaey Sara
Published: September 2023

VARCITIES has identified seven European municipalities as the Pilot Cities of the project. Together we will implement integrated and sustainable initiatives that increase the health and well-being of citizens, supporting both municipal actions and local SMEs in meeting credible opportunities to grow and generate revenues.

Each pilot city has recognized a large-scale site for co-designing and implementing local actions and has adopted an innovative cross-sectoral approach by combining urban digital transformation with nature-based actions. This innovative solution's implementation is consistent with the increase in citizens' awareness, respect for public spaces, and the integration of green spaces into everyday life. Developing a healthy green mindset for citizens and improving economic opportunities through green-digital strategies, drives the implementation of additional actions towards becoming a healthier, more sustainable and equitable city. The development process of these visionary ideas into feasible actions is approached by following a bottom-up planning and co-design participatory process involving local stakeholders, assuming a “multiple benefits” perspective, and also addressing social issues and cultural diversion. Over 25 visionary solutions were implemented across the pilot sites focusing on various target groups from the children, senior citizens, patients of hospitals, people with physical or mental disabilities, to all citizens of the cities.

The visionary solutions vary from interconnection among sport, recreational and therapeutic facilities, to analysis and monitoring of psychological and physiological well-being for elderly people and people affected by Alzheimer, or educating and engaging citizens to level-up their awareness of climate change and the importance of biodiversity. They are focused on enhancing the overall effectiveness of green spaces on the quality of life, and physical and mental health of citizens as well as helping to educate them on those topics. The visionary solutions can be duplicated and implemented by other cities in order to promote continuous improvement of health and living quality globally.
S13-4 Supporting health-enhancing research for cities - peer to peer collaboration, impact and dissemination in the Healthy Cities Helix Community
Authors: Pulieri Valeria , Petrea Andreea
Published: September 2023

Support for research and dissemination of project results are often different activities even though they can have a similar target audience. To help support its impact and dissemination activities, while also supporting new collaboration focused on improving the health and wellbeing in cities, the VARCITIES project has launched the Healthy Cities Helix - an international Open Innovation community of specialists in the fields of environment, smart cities, health and related disciplines.

The new Helix is calibrated to support VARCITIES through its various development stages, including post-project. It will accelerate the project’s dissemination, communication and commercialisation strategies, by building a strong, self-sustaining community of like-minded stakeholders that will have access to updates on the project and collaborate with experts in their fields of interest.

The community acts as a virtual accelerator for knowledge transfer and the project’s impact objectives - by linking profiles and outputs from the project to external actors from outside the project consortium who will be part of the Helix. This will not only help enable and facilitate disseminating the results to key STKs, with specific focus on healthy cities, health, and physical activity, but will also drive new forms of international and cross-sectoral partnerships and open innovation activity in these areas.

Currently the community hosts members from 183 organisations across 38 countries, but it can also support researchers to connect in a timely manner to relevant partners by tapping into the 10,000 users profiled on the Crowdhelix platform. This means that users can easily collaborate with people from various fields such as social sciences, citizen science, various areas of health, etc.

The Helix has been set-up as a self-sustaining community hosted on the Crowdhelix Platform beyond the lifetime of the project thereby promoting existing and creating new long-lasting impacts.
S15-3 24-hour movement behaviours and cognitive health of adults aged 55 years and over: cross-sectional findings of the PASOCA-study
Authors: Marent Pieter-Jan , Albouy Genevieve , Cardon Greet , van Uffelen Jannique
Published: September 2023

Purpose

Increased longevity is one of the greatest success stories in public health. However, ageing is accompanied by cognitive decline which affects people’s daily functioning and, if it develops to dementia, their ability to live independently. The aim of this study is to precisely examine how the 24-hour movement behaviours, including physical activity (PA), sedentary behaviour (SB) and sleep, are related to cognitive function and which role these modifiable lifestyle factors can play in optimal cognitive ageing.

Methods

The PASOCA-study is an observational, longitudinal study spanning over three years. Objective and subjective data of healthy, community dwelling adults aged 55 years and above are collected once a year. Participants wear an accelerometer (ActiGraph wGT3X-BT) on the wrist of their non-dominant hand for seven consecutive days and nights in order to objectively capture their 24-h movement behaviours. In addition, the International PA Questionnaire Short Form, a muscle-strengthening exercise (MSE) survey and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index are administered to gather subjective input. Cognition (executive function and memory) is objectively tested with the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB) and subjectively with the Cognitive Failure Questionnaire (CFQ).

Results

Baseline data collection took place from August 2021 till March 2022 and 234 participants (50.9% women; aged 68.3 ± 7.7 years) were measured. Multiple linear regressions and compositional data analyses will be conducted to understand the precise relationship between PA, SB, sleep and cognition (i.e. executive function and memory). The cross-sectional associations will be presented and discussed during the symposium.

Conclusions

The resulting deeper understanding of the precise relationship between PA, SB, sleep and cognition will inform future guidelines and will contribute to the development of preventive interventions for maintaining cognitive health at older age.

Support/Funding Source

Pieter-Jan Marent is funded by the Research Foundation Flanders (FWO) – 11B7123N.
S15-4 Challenges in translating research from controlled to real-life settings: preliminary results and evaluation of the “Take your brain for a walk” study
Authors: Hotterbeex Pauline , Beeckman Melanie , Chastin Sebastien , Cardon Greet , van Uffelen Jannique
Published: September 2023

Purpose

Developing strategies to promote healthy cognitive ageing is a priority given the growing ageing population. Recent research has shown that cognitive activity (CA) combined with physical activity (PA) improves cognitive functioning. However, most studies on PA+CA have been conducted in controlled settings, and there is a need for real-life PA+CA interventions. We developed a real-life cognitively enriched walking program “Take your brain for a walk” in co-creation with older adults and experts. Currently, we are conducting a six-month randomized controlled trial (RCT), including an outcome and process evaluation.

Methods

Participants are cognitively healthy community-dwelling adults aged 65+ years. They were randomly assigned to a: 1) cognitively enriched walking program (PA+CA) (performing cognitive tasks while walking); 2) walking program (PA only); or 3) passive control group. Both walking programs consist of two supervised 60-minute group-based walking sessions per week, with a total duration of six months (October 2022-April 2023). Memory and executive functioning are assessed using the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery at baseline (T0), three months (T1), six months (T2) and twelve months (T3; T1-T3 2023). Furthermore, a mixed-method process evaluation will be implemented based on the framework of Saunders et al. (2005), including a questionnaire and a semi-structured interview for the coaches and participants of the walking programs.

Results

At baseline, 148 participants were included with a mean age of 70.4 (4.3) years, 70.9% was female. Seventeen participants dropped out in the first 3 months of the study. Three- and six-months effects (data from T0, T1 and T2) of the program on memory and executive functioning will be presented. We expect to see positive changes in cognitive functioning in both the PA+CA and PA arms, with larger effects for the PA+CA arm. Furthermore, the process evaluation results regarding fidelity, dose (delivered or received), satisfaction, adherence and context will be presented. The focus will be on the challenges of research in real-life settings.

Conclusions

Findings will inform future lifestyle programs to promote cognitive functioning by simultaneously focusing on PA and CA for older adults in real-life settings.

Support/Funding Source

This project is funded by the Research Foundation Flanders (FWO).
O.1.1-4 The relationships of mental well-being with physical activity during the COVID-19 in older adults
Authors: Savikangas Tiina , Kekäläinen Tiia , Tirkkonen Anna , Sipilä Sarianna , Kokko Katja
Published: September 2023

Purpose

Negative mental well-being may hinder, and positive mental well-being facilitate physical activity (PA) when one’s daily routines are compromised. COVID-19 posed challenges to both mental well-being and PA, in Finland especially for those over 70, who faced the strictest restrictions. Therefore, the aim was to investigate the relationships of mental well-being with PA during the COVID-19 in two cohorts of different ages.

Methods

Data came from two population-based studies. Participants of the longitudinal TRAILS study (N = 162, 58% women, 60-61 years) were representative of their age cohort. Participants of the randomized controlled trial PASSWORD (N = 272, 60% women, 72-88 years) had attended a year-long multicomponent physical training intervention during 2017-2019. Self-reported changes in PA (increased vs. no change/decreased; decreased vs. no change/increased) and PA frequency (1-7; from “not at all” to “approximately daily”) during the COVID-19 were collected from April 2020 to June 2020 (PASSWORD) or July 2021 (TRAILS). Positive mental well-being was assessed by positive affect from the International Positive and Negative Affect Schedule Short Form (I-PANAS-SF, score 1-5). Negative mental well-being indicators were negative affect (I-PANAS-SF, score 1-5) and depressive symptoms (TRAILS: General Behavioral Inventory, score 0-3; PASSWORD: Geriatric Depression Scale, score 0-15). Relationships between mental well-being and PA were analyzed using logistic and linear regression models, adjusted by sex and, in PASSWORD, age.

Results

Positive affect was positively associated with increased PA (odds ratio (OR)=1.751-2.661, p = 0.013-0.034) and PA frequency (B = 0.489-0.550, p < 0.001-0.009) in both studies, and inversely with decreased PA in the PASSWORD (OR = 0.633, p = 0.024). Higher negative affect and depressive symptoms were associated with decreased PA in the PASSWORD (OR = 2.134, p = 0.004 and OR = 1.310, p < 0.001, respectively). Additionally, depressive symptoms were associated with lower PA frequency in both studies (TRAILS: B=-0.876, p = 0.004; PASSWORD: B=-0.105, p = 0.002).

Conclusions

Positive mental well-being was consistently and positively associated with PA during COVID-19 in older adults. Higher negative mental well-being was more clearly associated with poor PA behaviors in the older cohort facing stronger restrictions. Supporting positive mental well-being may be as important as reducing negative mental well-being to facilitate physically active lifestyle among older adults during exceptional circumstances.

Funding

The Academy of Finland (323541; 296843).
O.1.1-8 Impact on health-related quality of life after a concurrent exercise program in adults with treatment resistant depression: TRACE-RMD study
Authors: Etxaniz-Osés José , Tous-Espelosin Mikel , Iriarte-Yoller Nagore , Maldonado-Martin Sara
Published: September 2023

Purpose

Treatment-resistant depression (TRD) is defined as those who do not remit to major depressive disorder with pharmacological treatment. TRD is associated with a worse health-related quality of life (QoL). Thus, people with TRD have reported greater disability than those healthy control (HC) in QoL, assessed by the 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey questionnaire (SF-36). Concurrent exercise training (i.e., a combination of aerobic and resistance exercise in the same session) could be an efficient non-pharmacological treatment strategy for improving QoL. Exercise is recommended as a non-pharmacological adjuvant program for patients with TRD. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the effectiveness of a concurrent exercise program on QoL in a TRD population.

Methods

Participants (n = 15, 73.3% women, 57.7±13.7 yr old) with TRD carried out a concurrent exercise program (2 days/week and 12 weeks of intervention). The SF-36 questionnaire was used to assess health-related QoL. At baseline, the TRD population showed lower scores (P ≤ 0.001) in physical function, role-physical, bodily pain, general health, vitality, social functioning, emotional role, mental health, and physical and mental component summaries compared to HC.

Results

After 12-week of intervention, general health (↑50.5%), vitality (↑41.2%), social functioning (↑76.4%), and mental component summary (↑24.9%) were increased (P < 0.05). However, there was not a significant (P > 0.05) change increase in physical functioning, role physical, bodily pain, emotional role, mental health, and physical component summary.

Conclusion

In conclusion, beneficial effects on QoL variables in patients with TRD after concurrent exercise should lead to considering exercise as an adjuvant program in their treatment.
O.1.2-6 Music and Movement for Health: an arts-based Intervention to promote health and wellbeing of community dwelling older adults in Ireland
Authors: Clifford Amanda , NiBhriain Orfhlaith , Byrne Steven , Cheung Pui Sze , Louw Quinette , Glynn Liam , Moss Hilary , O'Neill Desmond , Woods Catherine B , Sheikhi Ali , Gowran Rosemary Joan , Maher Catherine , Kennelly Brendan , Salsberg Jon , Thabane Lehana
Published: September 2023

Purpose

The Music and Movement for Health study is a pragmatic cluster-randomised controlled feasibility trial that aims to assess the feasibility of an innovative music and dance intervention that was developed to promote health and wellbeing of community dwelling older adults in Ireland. This study also aims to obtain preliminary data on the effect of the arts-based intervention on health and wellbeing in older adults.

Methods

One hundred community-dwelling adults aged 65 years or older were recruited across seven clusters in the Mid-West region of Ireland. The seven clusters were randomly allocated to either the intervention group (n = 56, 4 clusters) or the control group (n = 44, 3 clusters). The intervention group participated in the Music and Movement for Health intervention which consisted of a 1.5-hour session and a 1-hour home-based programme weekly for 12-weeks. Music and Movement for Health is a complex intervention developed following the Medical Research Council Framework, co-designed with stakeholders using research evidence and theories to optimise engagement. Participants completed assessments at baseline and after 12 weeks and participated in focus group or interview after their participation.

Results

The targeted feasibility outcomes including the recruitment rates, the retention rates, attendance, and participation rates were achieved. Randomisation was completed according to the protocol and no safety issues were identified. The outcome measures used were acceptable and feasible for this population. The results on secondary outcomes and process evaluation of this trial are awaited.

Conclusion

This research strives to strengthen collaborative efforts to implement effective, sustainable and cost-effective programmes for older adults to support community connection, enhancing health and wellbeing, in turn reducing demands on the healthcare system. To our knowledge, Music and Movement for Health is the first evidence-based arts intervention that has incorporated music therapy with dance to improve health and wellbeing of community dwelling older adults. Feasibility results demonstrate that Music and Movement for Health is feasible, acceptable and safe for community dwelling older adults in the Mid-West region of Ireland.
O.1.2-7 Optimization of older adults home spaces
Authors: Ali Naureen Akber , Hudson Joanne , Stratton Gareth , Mullins Jane
Published: September 2023

Purpose

There is a lack of studies focused explicitly on the impact of the home physical environment on older adults’ sedentary behaviour (SB) and physical activity (PA). Therefore, the present study aims to investigate older adults’ perception of their home environment and its impact on their PA and SB.

Methods

A qualitative exploratory research design, based on in-depth interviews (IDIs) and focus groups discussions (FGDs) with older adults was conducted from 1st August 2022 to 31st December 2022. We identified four major themes: (I) Home layout and PA, (II) Space designation within the home, (III) Electronic equipment, furniture and material within the home space, (IV) Changing infrastructure within the home space. We analysed the data through reflexive thematic analysis using NVivo 10 software.

Results

Older adults valued the physical environment, and they managed their indoor space to control environment by structuring and restructuring to make it conducive for PA. Outdoor space such as garden was also an important factor for older adults’ PA. Moreover, older adults being autonomous and without any restrictions spent a substantial amount of time on utilizing electronic media. Further modification (such as adaptive aids, modification in the bathroom and etc) within the home space assist them in daily activities.

Conclusion

The findings suggest that both indoor and outdoor space play an important role in enhancing PA level and minimizing SB. Although space is important but how space is used, and its intention of use is also very crucial. The study finding also supported and recommended the notion of ‘think small for large effects’ within the home space. Instead of building the indoor facilities (such as indoor gyms, swimming pool and etc) older adults should mapped out small-scale activities such as avoiding screens in bedroom or removing clutter to increase space for activity.