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. 2022 Jul;34(7):1511-1528.
doi: 10.1007/s40520-022-02079-y. Epub 2022 Feb 12.

Characteristics of community-based exercise programs for community-dwelling older adults in rural/regional areas: a scoping review

Samantha Fien  1 , Corey Linton  2 , Jules S Mitchell  3 , Daniel P Wadsworth  4   5 , Helen Szabo  6 , Christopher D Askew  2   5 , Mia A Schaumberg  2   5   7
Affiliations

Characteristics of community-based exercise programs for community-dwelling older adults in rural/regional areas: a scoping review

Samantha Fien et al. Aging Clin Exp Res. 2022 Jul.

Abstract

Community-based exercise programs for older adults play a potentially important role in mitigating the decline in functional outcomes, body composition, psychosocial outcomes, and cardiovascular health outcomes that commonly occurs with advancing age. There is a limited understanding of the characteristics and effectiveness of community-based exercise programs, particularly when those programs are offered outside metropolitan areas. Rural/regional settings face unique challenges, such as limited access to equipment/resources, transportation, and services, as well as significant costs to run programs. The objective of this scoping review was to characterise studies in the field that have aimed to implement community-based programs in settings identified as rural / regional. A secondary aim was to establish guidance for future exercise programs in this setting and highlight future research directions. A total of 12 studies were conducted in settings identified as rural/regional areas in various countries across the world were included. Of the included studies, five were randomised controlled trials. The majority of included studies reported on functional outcomes (83%) and psychosocial outcomes (75%), yet only 42% reported body composition, 17% reported cardiovascular health and 17% reported dietary outcomes. Low male representation was observed, with women outnumbering men in 7 of 12 studies. There was also minimal investigation of qualitative outcomes in existing community-based exercise programs in rural/regional settings, presenting a key gap for future research to address. Study Protocol: https://osf.io/txpm3/ . Date of registration: 20 July 2020.

Keywords: Older adult; Physical function; Psychosocial health; Regional/rural.

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Conflict of interest statement

None.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
PRISMA flow diagram describing record inclusion through different stages of screening; includes number of records identified, included and excluded, and the reasons for exclusion
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Variables to include in a successful rural/regional community-based exercise programs
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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