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Web-Based Physical Activity Interventions for Older Adults: A Review

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Advances in Visual Informatics (IVIC 2015)

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Abstract

Most web-based physical activity interventions were built based on the principles of universal design and may have overlooked age-related impairments experienced by older adult. Thus, it is intriguing to know how successful these web-based interventions are in enhancing older adult’s physical activity level despite of these shortcomings. The objective of this study hence is to review published literature regarding interactive web-based interventions promoting physical activity among older adults. EBSCOhost, ISI Web of Science and ScienceDirect databases were searched to identify relevant peer-reviewed papers. Results were summarized in a qualitative way. We included 15 papers reporting on web-based interventions with physical activity components. Ten and two studies respectively indicated positive and negative outcomes, while the outcomes of the remaining three studies remain unclear. Despite of computer illiteracy and age-related impairments experienced, there is preliminary evidence that suggest web-based interventions are effective in encouraging physical activity among older adults.

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Acknowledgments

The work was supported by the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI), E-Science Fund research grant (06-01-02-SF1083). Alan Smeaton was supported by Science Foundation Ireland under grant 12/RC/2289.

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Correspondence to Hazwani Mohd Mohadis .

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Mohadis, H.M., Ali, N.M., Shahar, S., Smeaton, A.F. (2015). Web-Based Physical Activity Interventions for Older Adults: A Review. In: Badioze Zaman, H., et al. Advances in Visual Informatics. IVIC 2015. Lecture Notes in Computer Science(), vol 9429. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-25939-0_36

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-25939-0_36

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