Enhancing the conceptualisation, design, and development of evidence-based physical activity interventions for older adults: A mixed methods investigation.

Abstract

To reduce the implementation of intuition-based ‘common-sense’ physical activity (PA) interventions for older adults, and support the implementation of theory- and evidence- based interventions, there is a need for research that (a) seeks further understanding on how different interventions influence older adults’ PA behaviour and their key components and characteristics, and (b) attempts to identify strategies and procedures that can enable or enhance the translation of scientific evidence and theory to real-world PA intervention practice. This PhD by Publication aimed to detail and synthesise the findings of five pieces of research that addressed the above research needs, published in five peer-reviewed articles. The five pieces of research encompassed a descriptive study (study 1), two qualitative studies (study 2 and study 4), a narrative literature review (study 3), and an experiential reflection (reflective paper). The findings of studies 2, 3, and 4 together highlighted the potentially important influence of several elements of PA interventions on older adults’ PA behaviour: (a) social support, (b) system factors, and (c) therapeutic alliance. Furthermore, study 1 and the reflective paper highlighted the usefulness of two different practical strategies to close the evidence-practice gap in the PA intervention field: (a) behaviour change framework application, and (b) co-creative research. The findings demonstrated practical implications pertaining to the optimisation of local PA services, and informing wider national recommendations on actionable strategies that public health organisations can use to refine their PA interventions. The findings have been distilled into an original schematic model for application by public health practitioners to guide the real-world conceptualisation, design, and development of evidence-based PA interventions for older adults. The model offers a broad and holistic perspective of PA interventions, which goes beyond the traditional person- centred philosophy normally associated with them. The information supplied by this thesis can contribute to real-world public health practitioners basing their decision- making and actions relating to PA interventions for older adults on theory, evidence, and structured logic rather than intuition. This in turn can lead to the increased prevalence of evidence-based PA interventions rather than those based on common-sense.