Determining the reach of a home-based physical activity program for older adults within the context of a randomized controlled trial

Abstract

Determining the reach of physical activity (PA) programs is challenging due to inconsistent reporting across studies. The purpose of this study was to document multiple indicators of program reach for a 6-month, Digital Versatile Disc (DVD)-delivered home-based PA program. Radio, newspaper and direct mailing advertisements were tracked to determine costs as well as the number and representativeness of older adults exposed and responding to recruitment. It was estimated that all older adults in the recruitment area (n=105 515) may have been exposed to at least one of the recruitment strategies 563 responded and 383 were screened as eligible. Of those that enrolled (n=307), the DVD reached between 81%and 97%of the participants over each month within the 6 month period. Newspaper advertisements were most effective (n=222) at a cost of $78 per participant enrolled. Conclusion: Using multiple indicators of reach supports the accurate calculation and generalizability of recruiting older adults into PA programs.