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This study is an examination of protective and risk factors associated with weekly physical activity and number of falls among oldest-old participants enrolled in A Matter of Balance/Volunteer Lay Leader (AMOB/VLL) model. Poisson mixed regression models were used to assess potential protective (falls efficacy and self-rated health) and risk (pain, fatigue, and health interference) factors for weekly physical activity and number of falls from baseline to post-intervention after controlling for sex, race/ethnicity, age, education, living alone, and number of chronic conditions. Weekly physical activity and number of falls improved significantly from baseline to post-intervention. Falls efficacy scores and self-rated health (as protectors) as well as fatigue, health interference scores, and pain (as risk factors) at baseline were significantly related to weekly physical activity and number of falls among oldest-old participants. Findings indicate that program elements of AMOB/VLL are effective in improving physical activity and reduce falls among the oldest-old population.

The Exercise Assessment and Screening for You (EASY) is a tool developed to help older individuals, their health care providers, and exercise professionals identify different types of exercise and physical activity regimens that can be tailored to meet the existing health conditions, illnesses, or disabilities of older adults. The EASY tool includes 6 screening questions that were developed based on an expert roundtable and follow-up panel activities. The philosophy behind the EASY is that screening should be a dynamic process in which participants learn to appreciate the importance of engaging in regular exercise, attending to health changes, recognizing a full range of signs and symptoms that might indicate potentially harmful events, and becoming familiar with simple safety tips for initiating and progressively increasing physical activity patterns. Representing a paradigm shift from traditional screening approaches that focus on potential risks of exercising, this tool emphasizes the benefits of exercise and physical activity for all individuals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVES: To explore issues of intervention tailoring for ethnic minorities based on information and experiences shared by researchers affiliated with the Health Maintenance Consortium (HMC). METHODS: A qualitative case study methodology was used with the administration of a survey (n = 17 principal investigators) and follow-up telephone interviews. Descriptive and content analyses were conducted, and a synthesis of the findings was developed. RESULTS: A majority of the HMC projects used individual tailoring strategies regardless of the ethnic background of participants. Follow-up interview findings indicated that key considerations in the process of intervention tailoring for minorities included formative research; individually oriented adaptations; and intervention components that were congruent with participants' demographics, cultural norms, and social context. CONCLUSIONS: Future research should examine the extent to which culturally tailoring long-term maintenance interventions for ethnic minorities is efficacious and should be pursued as an effective methodology to reduce health disparities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: To enhance understanding of the long-term maintenance of behavior change, as well as effective strategies for achieving sustainable health promotion and disease prevention through the Health Maintenance Consortium (HMC). METHODS: This introductory research synthesis prepared by the resource center gives context to this theme issue by providing an overview of the HMC and the articles in this journal. RESULTS: It explores the contributions to our conceptualization of behavior change processes and intervention strategies, the trajectory of effectiveness of behavioral and social interventions, and factors influencing the long-term maintenance of behavioral and social interventions. CONCLUSIONS: Future directions for furthering the science of maintaining behavior change and reducing the gaps between research and practice are recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVES: To identify key features of interventions that need to be considered in the design, execution, and reporting of interventions. METHODS: Based on prior work on decomposing psychosocial and clinical interventions, current guidelines for describing interventions, and a review of a broad range of intervention studies, we developed a comprehensive intervention taxonomy. RESULTS: Specific recommendations, rationales, and definitions of intervention delivery and content characteristics including mode, materials, location, schedule, scripting, and sensitivity to participant characteristics, interventionist characteristics, adaptability, implementation, content strategies, and mechanisms of action are provided. CONCLUSIONS: Applying this taxonomy will advance intervention science by (a) improving intervention designs, (b) enhancing replication and follow-up of intervention studies, (c) facilitating systematic exploration of the efficacy and effectiveness of intervention components through cross-study analysis, and (d) informing decisions about the feasibility of implementation in broader community settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVES: To establish a workgroup within the NIH-funded Health Maintenance Consortium (HMC) to examine how 'maintenance' of behavior change was conceptualized and measured across and within behaviors. METHODS: Multiple meetings were held by the workgroup to reach consensus definitions of maintenance and maintenance-related constructs across diet/nutrition, tobacco, substance abuse, and physical activity. Once consensus was reached, a survey assessed how maintenance was operationalized across 16 HMC intervention studies. RESULTS: Seventy-five percent of 16 studies assessed are using a criterion to assess maintenance and are tracking maintenance as a continuous measure. Eighty-one percent are assessing facilitators and barriers, and conceptualizing maintenance as both an intermediate and primary outcome measure. All 16 studies are assessing maintenance at the individual level with fewer at the organizational (N = 3), environmental (N = 3), and policy levels (N = 1). CONCLUSIONS: This survey found similarities and differences in measurement across behaviors that have important implications for advancing the quality of transbehavioral research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding influences on health-related quality of life (HRQL) is critical in order to track and improve the health of poor, vulnerable populations and reduce health disparities. However, studies assessing HRQL of minorities are relatively scarce. The purpose of this study was to document personal and socioenvironmental correlates to HRQL. The study population is Mexican Americans in the Texas-Mexico border region living in colonias - unincorporated, impoverished settlements with substandard living conditions along the U.S.-Mexico border. Mexican Americans living in colonias are one of the most disadvantaged, hard-to-reach minority groups in the United States. We used data from the Integrated Health Outreach System Project collected in 2002 and 2003. Our sample included 386 participants randomly selected and interviewed face-to-face with a structured survey. We measured HRQL and examined personal and socioenvironmental correlates. Unadjusted and adjusted (multivariate) logistic regression models were used for data analyses. We found that border Mexican Americans living in colonias were of similar mental health status compared to the general population of the United States, but worse off in terms of physical health. Poor education and long-term residency in colonias were predictors of lower physical health. Women reported worse mental health than men. Length of time living in a colonia, co-morbidity status, and perceived problems with access to healthcare was associated with poorer mental health status. This study provides information for health professionals and policymakers and underscores the need to provide better preventive and medical services for underserved populations. Major findings indicate the need for additional research centered on further exploration of the impact of economic, cultural, and social influences on HRQL among severely disadvantaged populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: To examine personal and environmental correlates of exercise among Mexican Americans living in the Texas-Mexico border region. METHODS: The study was based on data from a community health assessment conducted in 2 counties at the Texas-Mexico border region. A random-digit-dialed community survey was used in this cross-sectional study (n=933). RESULTS: A majority of border Mexican Americans (52%) did not exercise at all. Gender, age, and self-rated health were statistically significant correlates to exercise. CONCLUSIONS: Understanding personal and environmental factors that influence physical activity and exercise in this minority population is critical for the development of culturally sensitive health interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: This study identifies the prevalence and correlates of physician-geriatric patient discussions about physical activity and nutrition lifestyle behaviors. METHODS: Between August 1998 and July 2000, 423 older patient visits to 36 physicians were videotaped in three different primary care settings. The patient sample was primarily white, female, well-educated, and financially sufficient, although 12.7% of the encounters occurred in an inner city clinic. The major dependent variable-lifestyle discussion-is based on observations of physician behavior. Descriptive and multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted in 2004. RESULTS: Nutrition talk was most prevalent, occurring in almost half the encounters (48.2%) followed by physical activity discussions (39.2%) then conjoint mention (22%). Discussions were significantly less likely to occur in acute visits. While ethnicity, gender, and length of visit were not significantly related, physician interaction style and patient vitality and education were significant predictors in the multivariate analyses. CONCLUSIONS: Given the impact of lifestyle behaviors on myriad health outcomes, the current prevalence rates of physician discussion, while higher than in many previous studies, remain sub-optimal. Practical assessment tools, training in behavioral counseling, and reimbursement incentives are recommended strategies for raising physical activity and nutrition discussion prevalence in primary care settings. Copyright © 2006 by Elsevier Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVES: Translating efficacious interventions into practice within community settings is a major public health challenge. We evaluated the effects of 2 evidence-based physical activity interventions on self-reported physical activity and related outcomes in midlife and older adults. METHODS: Four community-based organizations implemented Active Choices, a 6-month, telephone-based program, and 5 implemented Active Living Every Day, a 20-week, group-based program. Both programs emphasize behavioral skills necessary to become more physically active. Participants completed pretest and posttest surveys. RESULTS: Participants (n=838) were aged an average of 68.4 +/-9.4 years, 80.6% were women, and 64.1% were non-Hispanic White. Seventy-two percent returned posttest surveys. Intent-to-treat analyses found statistically significant increases in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity and total physical activity, decreases in depressive symptoms and stress, increases in satisfaction with body appearance and function, and decreases in body mass index. CONCLUSIONS: The first year of Active for Life demonstrated that Active Choices and Active Living Every Day, 2 evidence-based physical activity programs, can be successfully translated into community settings with diverse populations. Further, the magnitudes of change in outcomes were similar to those reported in the efficacy trials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study used a geographically diverse sample to estimate the total cost of informal care and formal services for community-residing Alzheimer's disease (AD) care recipients. Baseline data were used for 1200 family caregivers from the Resources for Enhancing Alzheimer's Caregiver Health (REACH) study, a multisite intervention trial. The replacement-wage-rate approach estimated informal cost. Formal services were assigned a cost based on secondary sources. Annual cost per care recipient amounted to $23,436 for informal care and $8,064 for formal services. Variation in informal cost was almost entirely due to instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs) assistance. Cross-site differences in cost persisted after controlling for caregiver and care-recipient characteristics. Geographic variation may suggest regional preferences or ethnic/cultural values. Further study is needed to determine whether this reflects differences in access or availability or how including a control group for care recipients with nondementia diagnoses might have affected these findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to assess a newly developed measure for the positive aspects of caregiving using a sample of dementia caregivers. The measure was developed and administered to 1,229 participants in a national collaborative Alzheimer's disease caregiver study and evaluated for validity and reliability using standard psychometric analyses. Factor analysis identified two components in this nine-item measure: Self-Affirmation and Outlook on Life. Cronbach's alphas for the components were .86 and .80, respectively. For the entire scale, Cronbach's alpha was .89. The Positive Aspects of Caregiving measure, tested with a large, diverse, and well-characterized sample shows promise as a valid and reliable instrument. With additional implementation and testing, the measure has the potential to substantially increase our understanding of basic caregiving research and the outcomes of intervention efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Progress in studying the relationship between religion and health has been hampered by the absence of an adequate measure of religiousness and spirituality. This article reports on the conceptual and empirical development of an instrument to measure religiousness and spirituality, intended explicitly for studies of health. It is multidimensional to allow investigation of multiple possible mechanisms of effect, brief enough to be included in clinical or epidemiological surveys, inclusive of both traditional religiousness and noninstitutionally based spirituality, and appropriate for diverse Judeo-Christian populations. The measure may be particularly useful for studies of health in elderly populations in which religious involvement is higher. The measure was tested in the nationally representative 1998 General Social Survey (N = 1,445). Nine dimensions have indices with moderate-to-good internal consistency, and there are three single-item domains. Analysis by age and sex shows that elderly respondents report higher levels of religiousness in virtually every domain of the measure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVES: Older women have the highest breast cancer rates but are underscreened relative to their risk. Racial/ethnic minority women especially have low screening rates, often because of financial constraints. In response, Medicare introduced subsidized biennial mammogram benefits in 1991. This study examined the effect on mammography rates of an intervention that informed women about the Medicare benefit. METHODS: A list frame method of subject selection was used to select random samples of eligible women from the Health Care Financing Administration's master beneficiary file. Women were interviewed by telephone in 1991 (N = 917) before the targeted mailing and in 1993 (N = 922). One control and 2 treatment communities participated. RESULTS: Mammogram use increased significantly among minorities in the treatment groups. Among minorities who received the intervention, Black women were twice as likely (odds ratio = 1.97) and Hispanic women were more than twice as likely (odds ratio = 2.33) to undergo screening relative to their untreated cohorts. CONCLUSIONS: A targeted low-cost mailed intervention can help increase screening rates among elderly minority women. The Health Care Financing Administration should promote its benefits aggressively if it expects to reach its target--elderly beneficiaries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives. Self-care includes actions taken by individuals to promote or ensure their health, to recover from diseases or injuries, or to manage their effects. This study measured associations between self-care practices (lifestyle practices, adaptations to functional limitations, and medical self-care) and Medicare expenditures among a national sample of adults 65 years and older.Methods. Regression models of Medicare use and expenditures were estimated by using the National Survey of Self-Care and Aging and Medicare claims for 4 years following a baseline interview.Results. Lifestyle factors (swimming and walking) and functional adaptations (general home modifications) were associated with reductions in monthly Medicare expenditures over a 12-month follow-up period. Expenditure reductions were found over the 48-month follow-up period for participation in active sports, gardening, and medical self-care. Practices associated with increases in expenditures included smoking, physical exercise (possibly of a more strenuous nature), and specific home modifications.Conclusions. Certain self-care practices appear to have significant implications for Medicare expenditures and presumptively for the health status of older adults. Such practices should be encouraged among older adults as a matter of national health policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To determine if short-term exercise reduces falls and fall-related injuries in the elderly.Design: A preplanned meta-analysis of the seven Frailty and Injuries: Cooperative Studies of Intervention Techniques (FICSIT)--independent, randomized, controlled clinical trials that assessed intervention efficacy in reducing falls and frailty in elderly patients. All included an exercise component for 10 to 36 weeks. Fall and injury follow-up was obtained for up to 2 to 4 years.Setting: Two nursing home and five community-dwelling (three health maintenance organizations) sites. Six were group and center based; one was conducted at home.Participants: Numbers of participants ranged from 100 to 1323 per study. Subjects were mostly ambulatory and cognitively intact, with minimum ages of 60 to 75 years, although some studies required additional deficits, such as functionally dependent in two or more activities of daily living, balance deficits or lower extremity weakness, or high risk of falling.Interventions: Exercise components varied across studies in character, duration, frequency, and intensity. Training was performed in one area or more of endurance, flexibility, balance platform, Tai Chi (dynamic balance), and resistance. Several treatment arms included additional nonexercise components, such as behavioral components, medication changes, education, functional activity, or nutritional supplements.Main Outcome Measures: Time to each fall (fall-related injury) by self-report and/or medical records.Results: Using the Andersen-Gill extension of the Cox model that allows multiple fall outcomes per patient, the adjusted fall incidence ratio for treatment arms including general exercise was 0.90 (95% confidence limits [CL], 0.81, 0.99) and for those including balance was 0.83 (95% CL, 0.70, 0.98). No exercise component was significant for injurious falls, but power was low to detect this outcome.Conclusions: Treatments including exercise for elderly adults reduce the risk of falls. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using data from the 1990 baseline of the National Survey of Self-Care and Aging (NSSCA), and nearly three years of follow-up mortality data, we examined the association between self-rated functional ability, a global measure of perceived ability of function independently, and mortality among a national sample of older adults. The study included 3,485 subjects selected from the Medicare Beneficiary Files according to a stratified random sampling design, with approximately equal numbers of adults by gender in each of three age categories, 65-74, 75-84, and 85 and over. Self-rated functional ability was found to have an independent contribution to the subsequent risk of death among older adults. Using multivariate models that accounted for self-rated health, age, gender, medical conditions, functional status, and assistance from others, poor self-ratings on this single item nearly doubled the risk of death during the follow-up period. These findings suggest the importance, for both researchers and clinicians, of measuring the potential prognostic importance of self-ratings of health and self-ratings of functional ability among older adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to review systematically the available literature on health outcomes of online cancer support and resources. METHODS: We searched major databases with the following selection criteria: (1) empirical study on use of online support or resources by cancer survivors, (2) reporting effects or outcomes of online support or resources, (3) focusing on adult cancer survivors, and (4) peer-reviewed articles published by 2010. RESULTS: A total of 24 studies (37 articles) were included in the review. Most studies were focused on breast cancer survivors and had small sample sizes. Fifteen studies employed a cross-sectional design including eight qualitative studies. Only five studies used pre-post design, and four employed RCT design. The outcome measures have focused on psychosocial effects; most studies reported positive effects, although none of the RCT studies reported significant outcomes. CONCLUSION: Existing studies of online cancer support and resources have demonstrated preliminary but inconclusive evidence for positive outcomes. We call for additional studies with rigorous study designs and the inclusion of more diverse participants and cancer conditions. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Connecting diverse cancer survivors to culturally appropriate, evidence-based online support and resources is a strategy to enhance health outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: The number of people with memory problems who desire or are forced to age in place has been growing rapidly. COVID-19 has brought significant challenges to the ability of those with memory problems to stay active and age in place. This study investigated the roles of neighborhood environments in helping community-dwelling people with memory problems maintain physical activity during the COVID-19 pandemic., Research Design and Methods: We used retrospective online survey data from 75 caregivers who responded on behalf of their care recipients with memory problems living in Texas communities. We used difference-in-difference (DID) estimations based on zero-inflated negative binomial regression models to examine the changes in recreational walking and moderate-to-strenuous exercise before and during the COVID-19 pandemic and whether such changes vary by diversity of walkable neighborhood destinations., Results: In the total sample, there was a significant reduction in both recreational walking (Δ change=-45.16 min/week, p<0.001) and exercise (Δ change=-36.28 min/week, p=0.03) after the COVID-19 outbreak. The pandemic's impact on exercise varied by diversity of neighborhood destinations (DID=0.81, p=0.03). Those living in neighborhoods with diverse walkable destinations experienced less decline in physical activity compared to those living in areas with limited destinations., Discussion and Implications: These findings suggest that the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on physical activity among people with memory problems may be partially explained by neighborhood land use characteristics. Destination-rich, mixed-use neighborhood environments can help people with memory problems stay active even during pandemics such as COVID-19 in the U.S. and potentially elsewhere., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For commercial re-use, please contact reprints@oup.com for reprints and translation rights for reprints. All other permissions can be obtained through our RightsLink service via the Permissions link on the article page on our site—for further information please contact journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Objective: To conduct a systematic review of process evaluations (PEs) of diabetes self-management programs (DSMPs)., Data Source: An electronic search using Medline (Ovid), Embase (Ovid), CINAHL (Ensco), Academic Search (Ebsco), and APA PsycInfo (Ebsco)., Study Inclusion and Exclusion Criteria: Peer-reviewed, empirical quantitative, qualitative, or mixed-method studies were included if they (1) were a traditional, group-based DSMP, (2) involved adults at least 18 years with T1DM or T2DM, (3) were a stand-alone or embedded PE, and (4) published in English., Data Extraction: The following process evaluation outcomes were extracted: fidelity, dose delivered, dose received, reach, recruitment, retention, and context. Additional items were extracted, (eg, process evaluation type, data collection methods; theories; frameworks or conceptual models used to guide the process evaluation, and etc)., Data Synthesis: Due to heterogeneity across studies, studies were synthesized qualitatively (narratively)., Results: Sixty-eight studies (k) in 78 articles (n) (k = 68; n = 78) were included. Most were mixed methods of low quality. Studies were typically integrated into outcome evaluations vs being stand-alone, lacked theoretical approaches to guide them, and incorporated limited outcomes such as dose received, reach, and retention., Conclusion: Future research should 1) implement stand-alone theoretically grounded PE studies and 2) provide a shared understanding of standardized guidelines to conduct PEs. This will allow public health practitioners and researchers to assess and compare the quality of different programs to be implemented., Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Objective: This study investigated the association of perceived neighborhood qualities with likelihood of transit walking, leisure walking, neighborhood walking, and meeting physical activity (PA) recommendations among US adults with arthritis., Methods: This cross-sectional study utilized 2020 National Health Interview Survey data. Included participants were adults reporting clinician-diagnosed arthritis and who reported the ability to walk. Exposures of interest were perceived neighborhood attributes. Outcomes were transit walking, leisure walking, neighborhood walking, and meeting PA recommendations. Standardized mean difference percent (SMD%) was used to assess relationships between exposures and outcomes with SMD% >10% resulting in inclusion in final adjusted multivariate logistic regression models for odds of outcomes. All analyses were weighted to account for complex survey methodology., Results: The analytic sample included 7,322 adults with arthritis. Fully adjusted logistic regression models showed presence of roads to walk on was associated with meeting PA recommendations (OR=1.26[95%CI=1.07-1.49]). Three attributes were positively associated with transit walking, while safety from crime was negatively associated (OR=2.33[95%CI=1.75-3.10], OR=1.49[95%CI=1.17-1.91], OR=1.67[95%CI=1.34-2.08]), OR=0.70[95%CI=0.53-0.92]). Roads to walk and places to walk and relax were associated with leisure and neighborhood walking (OR=1.46[95%CI=1.21-1.76], OR=1.56[95%CI=1.34-1.82], OR=1.58[95%CI=1.29-1.93], OR=1.63[95%CI=1.40-1.90], respectively)., Conclusion: This study identified several neighborhood characteristics associated with higher likelihood of walking behaviors among adults with arthritis. Factors associated with walking behavior varied by type of walking. The shared correlates between leisure and neighborhood walking imply they occur in the same setting. Patients with arthritis may benefit from exercise recommendations that are informed by the presence or absence of facilitating infrastructure in their neighborhoods., (This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.)

Background: Alzheimer disease (AD) and AD-related dementia are prevalent concerns for aging populations. With a growing older adult population living in the United States, the number of people living with dementia is expected to grow, posing significant challenges for informal caregivers. The mental and physical burdens associated with caregiving highlight the importance of developing novel and effective resources to support caregivers. However, technology solutions designed to address their needs often face low adoption rates due to usability issues and a lack of contextual relevance. This study focuses on developing a web-based platform providing financial and legal planning information and education for dementia caregivers and evaluating the platform's usability and adoptability., Objective: The goal of this project is to create a web-based platform that connects caregivers with personalized and easily accessible resources. This project involves industrial, academic, and community partners and focuses on two primary aims: (1) developing a digital platform using a Dementia Care Personalization Algorithm and assessing feasibility in a pilot group of caregivers, and (2) evaluating the acceptability and usability of the digital platform across different racial or ethnic populations. This work will aid in the development of technology-based interventions to reduce caregiver burden., Methods: The phase I study follows an iterative Design Thinking approach, involving at least 25 dementia caregivers as a user feedback panel to assess the platform's functionality, aesthetics, information, and overall quality using the adapted Mobile Application Rating Scale. Phase II is a usability study with 300 dementia caregivers in Texas (100 African American, 100 Hispanic or Latinx, and 100 non-Hispanic White). Participants will use the digital platform for about 4 weeks and evaluate its usefulness and ease of use through the Technology Acceptance Survey., Results: The study received funding from the National Institute on Aging on September 3, 2021. Ethical approval for phase I was obtained from the Texas A&M University Institutional Review Board on December 8, 2021, with data collection starting on January 1, 2022, and concluding on May 31, 2022. Phase I results were published on September 5, 2023, and April 17, 2024, respectively. On June 21, 2023, ethical approval for human subjects for phase II was granted, and participant recruitment began on July 1, 2023., Conclusions: Upon completing these aims, we expect to deliver a widely accessible digital platform tailored to assist dementia caregivers with financial and legal challenges by connecting them to personalized, contextually relevant information and resources in Texas. If successful, we plan to work with caregiving organizations to scale and sustain the platform, addressing the needs of the growing population living with dementia., International Registered Report Identifier (irrid): DERR1-10.2196/64127., (©Logan DuBose, Qiping Fan, Louis Fisher, Minh-Nguyet Hoang, Diana Salha, Shinduk Lee, Marcia G Ory, Tokunbo Falohun. Originally published in JMIR Research Protocols (https://www.researchprotocols.org), 07.08.2024.)

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to test the efficacy of a mobile-based multidomain application, Silvia Program, on cognitive functioning of residents in assisted living facilities (ALFs)., Study Design: Pilot randomized controlled trial using a two-group pretest-posttest design., Methods: Twenty participants living in ALFs were randomized to a Silvia group or usual care group. Silvia group received mobile-based Multidomain lifestyle intervention for 50-60 min, twice weekly, for 12 weeks. We assessed the cognitive functioning using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA)., Results: Results are that the total MoCA scores of the Silvia group showed significant improvement while the total scores of the control group declined., Conclusion: The present study provides suggestive evidence for an overall positive effect of the use of the Silvia Program on the cognitive functioning among residents in ALFs., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2024 Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of The Royal Society for Public Health.)

Background: Informal caregivers are called upon to provide substantial care, but more needs to be known about technology use among older adult and caregiver dyads., Objective: This study described technology use among older adults and their caregivers, explored potential correlates of technology use, and highlighted implications for practice., Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among unpaid caregivers of older adults (n=486). Primary outcomes were self-reported technology (devices and functions) use among caregivers and their oldest care recipient. The concordance of technology use among caregivers and care recipients was also examined. Multivariable regression models were conducted separately for caregivers and care recipients., Results: Greater proportions of caregivers used all examined technologies, except for the medication alerts or tracking function, than care recipients. Caregivers used an average of 3.4 devices and 4.2 functions, compared to 1.8 devices and 1.6 functions used by their care recipients. Among caregivers, younger age, higher income, and higher education were associated with more technology use (P<.05). Among care recipients, younger age, not having cognitive dysfunction, and caregiver's technology use were associated with more technology use (P<.05)., Conclusions: Understanding technology use patterns and device adoption across diverse caregiver and care recipient populations is increasingly important for enhancing geriatric care. Findings can guide recommendations about appropriate technology interventions and help providers communicate and share information more effectively with patients and their caregivers., (© Shinduk Lee, Marcia G Ory, Deborah Vollmer Dahlke, Matthew Lee Smith. Originally published in JMIR Aging (https://aging.jmir.org).)

Background: The increasing prevalence of Alzheimer disease and Alzheimer disease-related dementia in the United States has amplified the health care burden and caregiving challenges, especially for caregivers of people living with dementia. A web-based care planning tool, Olera.care, was developed to aid caregivers in managing common challenges associated with dementia care., Objective: This study aims to preliminarily evaluate the quality and usability of the Olera.care platform and assess the preferences of using the technology and interests in learning about different older adult care services among caregivers., Methods: For interview 1, we aim to understand caregiving needs and let the participants start engaging with the platform. After they engage with the platform, we schedule the second interview and let the participants complete the Mobile Application Rating Scale. The survey also included sociodemographic characteristics, caregiving experiences, communication preferences in technology adoption, and older adult care service use and interests. Descriptive statistics were used to describe the quality and usability of the platform and characteristics of the participants. We conducted 2-sample 2-tailed t tests to examine the differences in the Mobile Application Rating Scale evaluation scores by caregiver characteristics., Results: Overall, 30 adult caregivers in Texas completed the evaluation. The majority were aged ≥50 years (25/30, 83%), women (23/30, 77%), White (25/30, 83%), and financially stable (20/30, 67%). The Olera.care platform evaluation showed high satisfaction, with an overall mean rating of 4.57 (SD 0.57) of 5, and scored well in engagement (mean 4.10, SD 0.61), functionality (mean 4.46, SD 0.44), aesthetics (mean 4.58, SD 0.53), and information quality (mean 4.76, SD 0.44) consistently across all participants. A statistically significant difference (P=.02) was observed in functionality evaluation scores by duration of caregiving, with caregivers dedicating more hours to care rating it higher than those providing less care (mean 4.6, SD 0.4 vs mean 4.2, SD 0.5). In addition, caregivers with less caregiving experience reported significantly higher evaluation scores for aesthetics (P=.04) and information quality (P=.03) compared to those with longer years of caregiving. All participants expressed a willingness to recommend the app to others, and 90% (27/30) rated the app overall positively. Most of the participants (21/30, 70%) favored anonymous interactions before receiving personalized feedback and preferred computer browsers over mobile apps. Medical home health services were the most used, with a diverse range of services being used. Caregiver support groups, medical providers, memory care, meal services, and adult day care were among the most desired services for future exploration., Conclusions: The Olera.care web-based platform is a practical, engaging, easy-to-use, visually appealing, and informative tool for dementia caregivers. Future development and research are essential to enhance the platform and comprehensively evaluate it among a broader population., (©Qiping Fan, Minh-Nguyet Hoang, Logan DuBose, Marcia G Ory, Jeswin Vennatt, Diana Salha, Shinduk Lee, Tokunbo Falohun. Originally published in JMIR Aging (https://aging.jmir.org), 17.04.2024.)

This study aimed to examine the association between different contextual factors (e.g., facility size, rurality, and perceived needs) and the adoption of a policy or strategy related to opioid prescribing practices in healthcare settings. Cross-sectional survey data was collected from a convenience sample of physicians ( N = 68). Logistic regression models were used to examine the effects of contextual factors on the dependent variables. Less than half reported having a policy restricting opioid prescribing practices, and 81% reported having one or more strategies for the safe use of chronic opioid therapy. After adjusting for other contextual factors, small practice size was positively associated with having a policy restricting opioid prescribing practices. This exploratory study provides insights for further investigation of how various contextual factors can influence policy adoption in different healthcare settings and practices to address major public health threats., Competing Interests: Declaration of conflicting interestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Introduction: Type 2 diabetes impacts millions and poor maintenance of diabetes can lead to preventable complications, which is why achieving and maintaining target A1C levels is critical. Thus, we aimed to examine inequities in A1C over time, place, and individual characteristics, given known inequities across these indicators and the need to provide continued surveillance., Methods: Secondary de-identified data from medical claims from a single payer in Texas was merged with population health data. Generalized Estimating Equations were utilized to assess multiple years of data examining the likelihood of having non-target (>7% and ≥7%, two slightly different cut points based on different sources) and separately uncontrolled (>9%) A1C. Adults in Texas, with a Type 2 Diabetes (T2D) flag and with A1C reported in first quarter of the year using data from 2016 and 2019 were included in analyses., Results: Approximately 50% had A1Cs within target ranges (<7% and ≤7%), with 50% considered having non-target (>7% and ≥7%) A1Cs; with 83% within the controlled ranges (≤9%) as compared to approximately 17% having uncontrolled (>9%) A1Cs. The likelihood of non-target A1C was higher among those individuals residing in rural (vs urban) areas ( P  < .0001); similar for the likelihood of reporting uncontrolled A1C, where those in rural areas were more likely to report uncontrolled A1C ( P  < .0001). In adjusted analysis, ACA enrollees in 2016 were approx. 5% more likely (OR = 1.049, 95% CI = 1.002-1.099) to have non-target A1C (≥7%) compared to 2019; in contrast non-ACA enrollees were approx. 4% more likely to have non-target A1C (≥7%) in 2019 compared to 2016 (OR = 1.039, 95% CI = 1.001-1.079). In adjusted analysis, ACA enrollees in 2016 were 9% more likely (OR = 1.093, 95% CI = 1.025-1.164) to have uncontrolled A1C compared to 2019; whereas there was no significant change among non-ACA enrollees., Conclusions: This study can inform health care interactions in diabetes care settings and help health policy makers explore strategies to reduce health inequities among patients with diabetes. Key partners should consider interventions to aid those enrolled in ACA plans, those in rural and border areas, and who may have coexisting health inequities., Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Background: The trend of Type 2 diabetes-related costs over 4 years could be classified into different groups. Patient demographics, clinical factors (e.g., A1C, short- and long-term complications), and rurality could be associated with different trends of cost. Study objectives are to: (1) understand the trajectories of cost in different groups; (2) investigate the relationship between cost and key factors in each cost trajectory group; and (3) assess significant factors associated with different cost trajectories., Methods: Commercial claims data in Texas from 2016 to 2019 were provided by a large commercial insurer and were analyzed using group-based trajectory analysis, longitudinal analysis of cost, and logistic regression analyses of different trends of cost., Results: Five groups of distinct trends of Type 2 diabetes-related cost were identified. Close to 20% of patients had an increasing cost trend over the 4 years. High A1C values, diabetes complications, and other comorbidities were significantly associated with higher Type 2 diabetes costs and higher chances of increasing trend over time. Rurality was significantly associated with higher chances of increasing trend over time., Conclusions: Group-based trajectory analysis revealed distinct patient groups with increased cost and stable cost at low, medium, and high levels in the 4-year period. The significant associations found between the trend of cost and A1C, complications, and rurality have important policy and program implications for potentially improving health outcomes and constraining healthcare costs., (© 2023. BioMed Central Ltd., part of Springer Nature.)

Chronic illnesses are a major threat to global population health through the lifespan into older age. Despite world-wide public health goals, there has been a steady increase in chronic and non-communicable diseases (e.g., cancer, cardiovascular and metabolic disorders) and strong growth in mental health disorders. In 2010, 67% of deaths worldwide were due to chronic diseases and this increased to 74% in 2019, with accelerated growth in the COVID-19 era and its aftermath. Aging and wellbeing across the lifespan are positively impacted by the presence of effective prevention and management of chronic illness that can enhance population health. This paper provides a short overview of the journey to this current situation followed by discussion of how we may better address what the World Health Organization has termed the "tsunami of chronic diseases." In this paper we advocate for the development, validation, and subsequent deployment of integrated: 1. Polygenic and multifactorial risk prediction tools to screen for those at future risk of chronic disease and those with undiagnosed chronic disease. 2. Advanced preventive, behavior change and chronic disease management to maximize population health and wellbeing. 3. Digital health systems to support greater efficiencies in population-scale health prevention and intervention programs. It is argued that each of these actions individually has an emerging evidence base. However, there has been limited research to date concerning the combined population-level health effects of their integration. We outline the conceptual framework within which we are planning and currently conducting studies to investigate the effects of their integration., Competing Interests: SRC’s research is funded by the NHS and was previously funded by Wellcome (an independent charity). SRC receives a stipend for editorial work at Elsevier journals (Comprehensive Psychiatry, and Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews). HB-J is the Director of the UK National Problem Gambling Clinic and the UK National Centre for Gaming Disorders which are now fully funded by the NHS. These clinics have previously received funding from NHS England, Central and North West London NHS Trust, and GambleAware. HB-J is Vice President of the Royal Society of Medicine and sits on several national and international Boards. HB-J has been on research teams funded by the Medical Research Council, the Wellcome Trust, and the Wolfson Family Trust. The remaining authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Thomas, Browning, Charchar, Klein, Ory, Bowden-Jones and Chamberlain.)

Objective: This study will identify factors associated with higher hemoglobin A1c (A1c) values and diabetes-related costs among commercially insured adults in Texas diagnosed with type 2 diabetes., Research Design and Methods: This secondary data analysis was based on claims data from commercially insured individuals 18-64 years of age residing in Texas with diagnosed type 2 diabetes during the 2018-2019 study period. The final analysis sample after all the exclusions consisted of 34,992 individuals. Measures included hemoglobin A1c, diabetes-related costs, Charlson Comorbidity Index, diabetes-related complications, rurality and other socioeconomic characteristics. Longitudinal A1c measurements were modeled using age, sex, rurality, comorbidity, and diabetes-related complications in generalized linear longitudinal regression models adjusting the observation time, which was one of the 8 quarters in 2018 and 2019. The diabetes-related costs were similarly modeled in both univariable and multivariable generalized linear longitudinal regression models adjusting the observation time by calendar quarters and covariates., Results: The median A1c value was 7, and the median quarterly diabetes-related cost was $120. A positive statistically significant relationship (p = < .0001) was found between A1c levels and diabetes-related costs, although this trend slowed down as A1c levels exceeded 8.0%. Higher A1c values were associated with being male, having diabetes-related complications, and living in rural areas. Higher costs were associated with higher A1c values, older age, and higher Charlson Comorbidity Index scores., Conclusion: The study adds updated analyses of the interrelationships among demographic and geographic factors, clinical indicators, and health-related costs, reinforcing the role of higher A1c values and complications as diabetes-related cost drivers., Competing Interests: The commercial affiliation for Dr. Preston was declared as she was employed by a commercial company at the time this manuscript was prepared., (Copyright: © 2023 Ory et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Background: Alzheimer disease and Alzheimer disease-related dementia represent complex neuropathologies directly challenging individuals, their families, and communities in the United States. To support persons living with dementia, family or informal caregivers often encounter complex financial, psychological, and physical challenges. A widely used solution such as a consolidated web-based assistance or guidance platform is missing, compounding care challenges., Objective: In preparation for designing an internet-based artificial intelligence-driven digital resource platform, a qualitative interview study was conducted to characterize the challenges and needs of family caregivers in the United States., Methods: A semistructured interview topic guide in English was developed by engaging community partners and research partnerships. Family caregiver participants were purposefully recruited via various means, such as word of mouth, local dementia community service providers, digital recruitment emails, flyers, and social media. Interested individuals were first invited to complete an eligibility screening survey, and eligible individuals were then contacted to arrange a web-based in-depth interview via Zoom (Zoom Video Communications) from January 1, 2022, to May 31, 2022. A follow-up survey was administered in May 2022 to provide an overview of the participants' demographics, socioeconomic characteristics, and caregiving information. Thematic analysis in a framework approach was used to identify and organize themes and the study findings., Results: Following the prescreening of 150 eligible respondents, 20% (30/150) individuals completed both the interviews and follow-up survey, allowing for an in-depth look into the challenges, experiences, and expectations of primary caregivers of people living with dementia. Most participants (20/30, 67%) were primary caregivers of persons with dementia, and 93% (28/30) had provided care for at least a year. Most participants were aged >50 years (25/30, 83%), female (23/30, 77%), White (25/30, 83%), and non-Hispanic (27/30, 90%) and held a bachelor's or graduate degree (22/30, 73%). Collectively, all participants acknowledged challenges in caring for people living with dementia. Thematic analyses elicited the challenges of caregiving related to functional care needs and financial and legal challenges. In addition, participants identified the need for an integrative digital platform where information could be supplied to foster education, share resources, and provide community support, enabling family caregivers to improve the quality of care and reducing caregiver burden., Conclusions: This study emphasized the difficulties associated with the family caregiver role and the expectations and potential for a supportive web-based platform to mitigate current challenges within the caregiving role., (©Qiping Fan, Logan DuBose, Marcia G Ory, Shinduk Lee, Minh-Nguyet Hoang, Jeswin Vennatt, Chung Lin Kew, David Doyle, Tokunbo Falohun. Originally published in JMIR Aging (https://aging.jmir.org), 05.09.2023.)

Background: Creating activity-friendly communities (AFCs) is an important strategy to increase physical activity (PA). While cross-sectional links between community environments and PA are well documented, their causal relationships remain insufficiently explored., Methods: Using the accelerometer and survey data collected from adults who moved to an AFC (cases) and similar non-AFC-residing adults who did not move (comparisons), this pre-post, case-comparison study examines if moving to an AFC increases PA. Data came from 115 participants (cases = 37, comparisons = 78) from Austin, Texas, who completed 2 waves of 1-weeklong data collection. Difference-in-difference analyses and fixed-effect models were used to test the significance of the pre-post differences in moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) between cases and comparisons, for the full sample and the subsample of 37 pairs matched in key covariates using the Propensity Score Matching method., Results: Average treatment effect generated based on Propensity Score Matching and difference-in-difference showed that moving to this AFC led to an average of 10.88 additional minutes of daily MVPA (76.16 weekly minutes, P = .015). Fixed-effect models echoed the result with an increase of 10.39 minutes of daily MVPA after moving to the AFC. We also found that case participants who were less active at baseline and had higher income increased their MVPA more than their counterparts., Conclusions: This study showed that, among our study sample, moving to an AFC increased residents' PA significantly when compared to their premove level and the comparison group. This causal evidence suggests the potential of AFCs as sustainable interventions for PA promotion.

This paper describes protocols and experiences from a seven-year natural-experiment study in El Paso, Texas, a border city of predominantly Latino/Hispanic population. The study focuses on how Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) impacts physical activity and thus plays a role in alleviating obesity and related chronic diseases that impact healthy aging. Our protocols describe a longitudinal and case-comparison study, which compared residents exposed to new BRT stations with those who were not. This paper also introduces lessons and experiences to overcome the following challenges: delays in the BRT opening (the main intervention), the COVID-19 pandemic, methodological challenges, participant recruitment and retention, and predatory survey takers. Our transdisciplinary approach was pivotal in addressing these challenges. We also proposed and tested multi-level intervention strategies to reduce modifiable barriers to transit use. Our most important takeaway for researchers, practitioners, and policy makers is the importance of being flexible and ready to adapt to new circumstances. Future natural-experiment researchers need to become more versatile in an increasingly volatile and uncertain world., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Li, Lee, Zhong, Xu, Towne, Zhu, Lee, Wang, Aldrete, Garcia, Whigham, Toney, Ibarra and Ory.)

Randomized controlled trials are considered the 'gold standard' to reduce bias by randomizing patients to an experimental intervention, versus placebo or standard of care cohort. There are inherent challenges to enrolling a standard of care or cohorts: costs, site engagement logistics, socioeconomic variability, patient willingness, ethics of placebo interventions, cannibalizing the treatment arm population, and extending study duration. The COVID-19 pandemic has magnified aspects of constraints in trial recruitment and logistics, spurring innovative approaches to reducing trial sizes, accelerating trial accrual while preserving statistical rigor. Using data from medical records and databases allows for construction of external control arms that reduce the costs of an external control arm (ECA) randomized to standard of care. Simultaneously examining covariates of the clinical outcomes in ECAs that are being measured in the interventional arm can be particularly useful in phase 2 trials to better understand social and genetic determinants of clinical outcomes that might inform pivotal trial design. The FDA and EMA have promulgated a number of publicly available guidance documents and qualification reports that inform the use of this regulatory science tool to streamline clinical development, of phase 4 surveillance, and policy aspects of clinical outcomes research. Availability and quality of real-world data (RWD) are a prevalent impediment to the use of ECAs given such data is not collected with the rigor and deliberateness that characterizes prospective interventional control arm data. Conversely, in the case of contemporary control arms, a clinical trial outcome can be compared to a contemporary standard of care in cases where the standard of care is evolving at a fast pace, such as the use of checkpoint inhibitors in cancer care. Innovative statistical methods are an essential aspect of an ECA strategy and regulatory paths for these innovative approaches have been navigated, qualified, and in some cases published., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Silva, Janjan, Ramos, Udeani, Zhong, Ory and Smith.)

Objectives: We explored the importance of environmental and mobility strategies during early COVID-19 by age and ethnicity and investigated predictors of park visitations considering the COVID-19 impacts., Background: Parks are safe and accessible venues to stay active and reduce social isolation, which is especially important considering COVID-19 and the associated lockdowns., Methods: We analyzed online survey data from 683 residents (collected July 2020) of El Paso, TX, and objective measures of neighborhood park characteristics. Chi-square tests and mixed-effects logistic regression analyses were performed to examine the environmental/mobility strategies, personal and environmental factors, and park visitations, considering the COVID-19 impacts., Results: The percentage of those who visited (1+ times/week) parks or trails/paths in the neighborhood dropped from 41.7% to 19.5% since the start of COVID-19 ( OR = 0.015, p < .001). Before COVID-19, middle-aged and older adults were less likely to visit parks than younger adults, while this difference became insignificant during early COVID-19. Hispanic adults were more likely to visit parks than non-Hispanics both before and during early COVID-19. Positive environmental predictors of park visitations included park availability in the neighborhood, proximity to the closest park, seeing people being physically active in the neighborhood, and neighborhood aesthetics., Conclusions: Proximately located parks, trails, and paths well integrated into residential communities, and high aesthetic quality of the neighborhood are the potential features of pandemic-resilient communities and should be considered an important national priority to maintain and promote the health and well-being of the population, especially during pandemics like COVID-19.

A collaborative partnership among community-based organizations (CBOs) could strengthen local services and enhance the capacity of a community to provide services as well as meet the diverse needs of older adults. The United Way of Tarrant County developed the LIVE WELL Initiative, partnering with six CBOs to provide nine evidence-based or evidence-informed health interventions to improve the health and lower healthcare costs of vulnerable individuals at risk for poor health. The nine programs include specific target areas, such as falls prevention, chronic disease self-management, medication management, and diabetes screening and education. A total of 63,102 clients, nearly 70% of whom were older adults, were served through the Initiative. Significant improvements in self-reported health status were observed among served clients. The percentage of clients reporting self-rated health as good, very good, and excellent increased from 47.5% at baseline to 61.1% at follow-up assessment. The mean healthy days improved from 16.9 days at baseline to 20.6 days at follow-up assessment. Additional improvements in program-specific outcomes demonstrated significant impacts of targeted intervention focus among served clients by program. The findings of this study emphasize that the impact of a collaborative partnership with multiple CBOs could promote health and well-being for older adults.

Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.