Partner organisations
The project is funded by the Northern NSW Local Health District.
Status/timing
This project is currently ongoing.
What did/does the Project do/focus on?
There are many factors that enable engagement by older adults in group-based physical activities, including program design and delivery, qualities of group leaders and attributes of the organisation providing the program. However, there are likely barriers to engaging older adults in group-based physical activity programs (and physical activity more generally), which include:
- personal factors (e.g., age, gender, psychosocial factors, time issues)
- social determinants (e.g., cultural influences, socioeconomic status, social support)
- program factors (e.g., cost, location, type), and
- environmental factors (e.g., built environment, transportation/accessibility, geography).
This project is designed understand what helps and motivates older men in our region to participate in physical activity group programs, and what stops them from participating.
What type of project/study?
We have used a two-stage design involving a rapid review of published literature followed by participatory qualitative research. We reviewed publicly available scientific and grey literature sources, targeting the participation of men aged 60 years and older in group-based healthy ageing physical activity programs. We also conducted one-on-one semi-structured interviews with older men aged 60 years and over who live in Northern NSW, and key informants from relevant community organisations providing social, spiritual, mental, sports and physical activity services involving men aged 60 years and over.
What were the initial findings?
For the rapid review, we identified a final set of 41 peer reviewed studies and included in the data extraction and synthesis. A total of 27 older men aged 60 and over and five service providers participated in the qualitative study. Key themes identified from both the literature review and qualitative interviews are currently being finalised and will be reported when available.
What do we expect to achieve with this project when complete?
The insights gained from this research can be used to inform the design of programs that aim to increase men’s participation in physical activity group programs and to inform advocacy and partnership building as appropriate. The insights will also be used to assess relevant funding programs and interventions. In the short-term, the insights will be utilised by the Health Promotion Unit to inform a targeted approach to grant programs; inform program marketing, to attract older men to existing programs; and to build the capacity of service providers and other partners in understanding what older men are looking for in physical activity group-based programs.
