Healthy Beat Accupunch (HBA) Exercise Program for Community Older Adults

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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This study aimed to test the effects of a 12-month Healthy Beat Accupunch (HBA) exercise program on the perceived health status and sleep quality of the community-dwelling older adults.

Detailed Description
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Phase I: A cluster randomized controlled trial was used to test the effects of a six-month, instructor-led Healthy Beat Accupunch (HBA) exercise program on the perceived health status and sleep quality of the community-dwelling older adults. Through the use of convenience sampling strategy, eight community care centers with 232 older adults in Kaohsiung were recruited and randomly assigned based on their community care centers to a HBA experimental group or a wait-list control group. Participants in the experimental group received the HBA exercise program led by trained and certified instructors, three times per week, 40 minutes per practice for six months; participants in the wait-list control group continued with their regular daily activities. One pre-test and two post-tests, three months apart, were conducted. Phase II: Using the same method as in the phase I, participants from the phase I continued practicing the HBA exercise program, but guided by a DVD, for another six months. The feasibility, compliance, and effectiveness of the DVD-led HBA exercise program on the community-dwelling older adults were tested, and another two post-tests, three months apart, were conducted on the same outcome measurements as in the phase I.

Official Title
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Evaluation of the Healthy Beat Accupunch (HBA) Exercise Program for the Community Older Adults

Conditions
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Perceived Health Status, Sleep Quality

Intervention / Treatment
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* Other: Healthy Beat Accupunch (HBA) exercise program
* Other: Control


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: community-dwelling older adults aged 65 and over Mandarin or Taiwanese speakers able to stand and walk without assistive devices cognitive alert and able to verbally state their name, address, and answer questions Exclusion Criteria: participants with severe and acute cardiovascular, musculoskeletal, or pulmonary illnesses

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 65 Years
Maximum Age: 100 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Prevention
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Single


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: Healthy Beat Accupunch<br>The HBA exercise program includes: 1) warm-up: 5 slow and gentle exercises to regulate qi, loosen up the body, and elevate the energy for a safe transition to the next phase, 2) accupunch: 14 low-to-medium speed exercises to punch the 14 meridians to enhance the cardiovascular-respiratory workout, and 3) relaxation: 5 low-speed, muscle relaxing exercises with deep breaths to sooth the body and mind. It is conducted 3 times per week and 40 minutes per practice. | Other: Healthy Beat Accupunch (HBA) exercise program<br>* HBA has three phases and takes 40 minutes to complete.<br>|
| Active Comparator: Control<br>The control group maintains daily activities. | Other: Control<br>* Participants maintain their daily acitvities.<br>|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Perceived health status measured by SF-12 Health Survey | measured by SF-12 Health Survey | 12 months | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Sleep quality measured by Pittsburge Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) | measured by Pittsburge Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) | 12 months |