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Real-time Videoconference-based Exercise in Eldercare Workers

Not Applicable
Completed
Conditions
Mental Disorders
Pain
Interventions
Behavioral: Real-time videoconference-based Exercise program
Registration Number
NCT05050526
Lead Sponsor
Ander Espin
Brief Summary

Formal caregiving of elderly dependent people is a both physically and psychologically demanding job, and both musculoskeletal and mental disorders with a negative impact in general health and quality of life are habitual among eldercare workers. Previous research has shown that physical exercise programs can reduce and/or prevent those disorders, consequently improving well-being at work.

Online exercise interventions might be a cost-effective tool, as they can reach a large number of people at a relatively low cost. Moreover, they are compatible with situations in which interpersonal physical distancing is required, such as the current COVID-19 pandemic. However, real-time videoconference-based exercise interventions have not yet been studied in working populations.

Thus, the aim of this study is to assess the effects of a real-time videoconference-based exercise intervention in eldercare workers. The primary outcome will be low back pain. Pain in neck, shoulders and wrists/hands will also be recorded, as well as additional measures of physical fitness, psychoaffective state, health and work-related variables. All outcomes will be measured at baseline and at 12-week and 48-week follow-ups.

Detailed Description

Not available

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
COMPLETED
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
130
Inclusion Criteria
  • Professional eldercare workers with ≥3 months of experience in the profession
  • Employment contract at least until the anticipated date of study end
Exclusion Criteria
  • Pregnancy
  • Contraindication to exercise according to the American College of Sports Medicine Guidelines

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
PARALLEL
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
Exercise programReal-time videoconference-based Exercise programParticipants in the experimental group will take part in a 12-week exercise program.
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Change from baseline average pain intensity at 12 weeksAt baseline and at 12-week follow-up

Average pain intensity during the last 7 days in a Numerical Rating Scale for pain ranging from 0 (complete absence of pain) to 10 (worst imaginable pain). This information will be collected for pain in the low back, neck, shoulders and wrists/hands.

Change from baseline highest pain intensity at 12 weeksAt baseline and at 12-week follow-up

Highest pain intensity during the last 7 days in a Numerical Rating Scale for pain ranging from 0 (complete absence of pain) to 10 (worst imaginable pain). This information will be collected for pain in the low back, neck, shoulders and wrists/hands.

Change from baseline highest pain intensity at 48 weeksAt baseline and at 48-week follow-up

Highest pain intensity during the last 7 days in a Numerical Rating Scale for pain ranging from 0 (complete absence of pain) to 10 (worst imaginable pain). This information will be collected for pain in the low back, neck, shoulders and wrists/hands.

Change from baseline pain frequency at 12 weeksAt baseline and at 12-week follow-up

Number of days in pain during the last 7 days (0-7). This information will be collected for pain in the low back, neck, shoulders and wrists/hands.

Change from baseline average pain intensity at 48 weeksAt baseline and at 48-week follow-up

Average pain intensity during the last 7 days in a Numerical Rating Scale for pain ranging from 0 (complete absence of pain) to 10 (worst imaginable pain). This information will be collected for pain in the low back, neck, shoulders and wrists/hands.

Change from baseline pain interference at 48 weeksAt baseline and at 48-week follow-up

Number of days in which pain negatively interferes with work during the last 7 days of work (0-7). This information will be collected for pain in the low back, neck, shoulders and wrists/hands.

Change from baseline pain frequency at 48 weeksAt baseline and at 48-week follow-up

Number of days in pain during the last 7 days (0-7). This information will be collected for pain in the low back, neck, shoulders and wrists/hands.

Change from baseline pain interference at 12 weeksAt baseline and at 12-week follow-up

Number of days in which pain negatively interferes with work during the last 7 days of work (0-7). This information will be collected for pain in the low back, neck, shoulders and wrists/hands.

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
5-repetition sit-to-stand testAt baseline and at 12-week and 48-week follow-ups

It measures lower limb strength based on the time taken by the participant to get up from and sit down on a chair five times as quickly as possible.

Subjective Happiness scaleAt baseline and at 12-week and 48-week follow-ups

It is comprised of 4 items, each of them answered with a score between 1 and 7. A single composite score is obtained by averaging the responses to the 4 items, and a higher score corresponds to a greater happiness.

Analgesic medication consumption frequencyAt baseline and at 12-week and 48-week follow-ups

Number of days in which analgesic medication is taken during the last 7 days (0-7).

Shirado-Ito trunk flexor endurance testAt baseline and at 12-week and 48-week follow-ups

It measures trunk flexor endurance based on the maximum time the participant is able to maintain a defined body position, which mainly activates trunk flexor muscles.

Hypnotic/anxiolytic medication consumption frequencyAt baseline and at 12-week and 48-week follow-ups

Number of days in which hypnotic/anxiolytic medication is taken during the last 7 days (0-7).

EuroQol-5D 0-100 health state scaleAt baseline and at 12-week and 48-week follow-ups

It measures self-perceived current health state in a scale ranging from 0 (worst imaginable health state) to 100 (best imaginable health state).

Work AbilityAt baseline and at 12-week and 48-week follow-ups

Work ability will be assessed by the following item extracted from the Workability Index: "assuming that your work ability at its best has a value of 10 points, how many points would you rate your current work ability?". Participants are asked to give a score ranging from 0 (completely unable to work) to 10 (lifetime best work ability).

Work PerformanceAt baseline and at 12-week and 48-week follow-ups

Work performance will be assessed by the following item extracted from the World Health Organization Health and Work Performance Questionnaire: "On a scale from 0 to 10 where 0 is the worst job performance anyone could have at your job and 10 is the performance of a top worker, how would you rate your overall work performance on the days you worked during the last 12 weeks?" Participants are asked to give a score between 0 and 10.

Kneeling push-up testAt baseline and at 12-week and 48-week follow-ups

It measures upper limb strength based on the maximum number of "knee push-ups" the participant can perform until failure.

Maslach Burnout InventoryAt baseline and at 12-week and 48-week follow-ups

The Inventory is comprised of 22 items corresponding to three domains: personal accomplishment, emotional exhaustion and depersonalization. Each item is answered in a 0-6 Likert scale depending on the frequency with which the participant experiences the feelings described. One total score per domain is obtained.

Single-Item Sleep Quality ScaleAt baseline and at 12-week and 48-week follow-ups

It evaluates overall sleep quality in the last 7 days with a numerical scale that ranges between 0 (terrible) and 10 (excellent).

Goldberg Anxiety and Depression scaleAt baseline and at 12-week and 48-week follow-ups

The scale includes 9 items for anxiety symptoms and 9 items for depression symptoms. Each item is answered with a "Yes" or a "No". A higher number of positive answers corresponds to a higher risk of suffering a clinically relevant anxiety or depression disorder, respectively.

Borg's CR-10 scale for perceived physical exertion at workAt baseline and at 12-week and 48-week follow-ups

It measures perceived physical exertion while doing physical work in a scale ranging from 0 (nothing at all) to 10 (extremely strong).

AbsenteeismAt baseline and at 12-week and 48-week follow-ups

Days of absence from work during the last year will be collected from the official registry of the company and by self-reported questionnaire. Presence of absenteeism (yes/no), days of absence (n) and reason will be collected.

Trial Locations

Locations (2)

Residencia Aspaldiko

🇪🇸

Portugalete, Bizkaia, Spain

Caser Residencial Betharram

🇪🇸

Hondarribia, Gipuzkoa, Spain

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