Older adults’ experiences with mHealth for fall prevention exercise: usability and promotion of behavior change strategies

ABSTRACT

Background: With the rapidly growing aging population, older adults need to stay healthy and active for a longer time. Mobile health (mHealth) solutions could help support, prevent, or delay functional decline and falls in old age.

Purpose: The aim was to explore older persons’ experiences of a mobile application for fall prevention exercise, and to identify what possible behavior change techniques to include in the further development of the application.

Methods: Two focus groups were conducted with 12 older adults (seven women and five men) 70 to 83 years of age. A qualitative content analysis was performed.

Results: Two main results emerged: 1) external facilitators for using the application; and 2) internal facilitators for using the application and perceived gains, in addition 10 behavior change techniques were identified.

Conclusion: With support, an application could be adapted for older adults to manage, motivate, and adhere to fall prevention exercise. To achieve long-term adherence to health behavior changes, behavior change strategies and techniques are recommended to be included in further development of the fallprevention application.

KEYWORDS:

• Active aging
• application
• behavior
• exercise

Declaration of interest

There are no conflicts of interest.