Let’s Walk: A Quasi-Experimental Multi-Component Intervention to Improve Physical Activity and Social Engagement for Older Chinese American Adults

TL;DR

A walking program tailored for older Chinese Americans improved physical activity and social engagement in a 12-week pilot study.

Contribution

A culturally tailored walking program was developed and tested for older Chinese Americans, showing improved social engagement and physical activity.

Findings

The enhanced walking group had fewer steps at baseline and less reduction in steps by 12 weeks compared to the control group.

Social engagement scores were significantly higher at 12 weeks for the intervention group (p = .03).

The program was found to be feasible and acceptable for older Chinese Americans.

Abstract

Physical activity (PA) is critical for healthy aging, yet < 16% of U.S. older adults meet federal recommendations for moderate to vigorous PA. Asian Americans are a rapidly growing segment of the older adult population, who are less likely to meet these guidelines, and are frequently under-represented in clinical trials. This quasi-experimental pilot study evaluated the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary effectiveness of a culturally tailored walking program to improve PA and social engagement for older Chinese Americans in Boston, MA. Participants at two community organizations were assigned to an enhanced walking or walking only condition for 12 weeks. Mixed effect repeated measures analysis addressed the study aims. The enhanced walking group (intervention) had fewer steps at baseline and less of a reduction in steps by 12 weeks as compared with the walking only (control) condition. Mean social engagement scores were significantly higher at 12 weeks (p = .03) for the intervention group. A culturally tailored walking intervention was feasible and acceptable for older Chinese Americans, improving social engagement and PA scores.

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