A Technological Intervention to Improve Nutrition Among Older Adult Congregate Meal Participants During COVID-19
试验速览
- 阶段
- 不适用
- 状态
- 进行中（未招募）
- 入组人数
- 369
- 试验地点
- 2
- 主要终点
- Diet Quality as measured by the Healthy Eating Index
研究概览
简要总结
The "digital divide" or gap in technological access and knowledge, for older adults has worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to disruptions in services like congregate meal programs funded by the Older Americans Act. Seven San Antonio congregate meal sites remained partially open biweekly to distribute meals but no longer offer in-person nutrition education, physical activity classes, and social activities. The proposed project will test the efficacy of digital nutrition intervention with at-risk older adults who attend congregate meal center in areas of high poverty and digital exclusion.
The study is uses a stepped-wedge cluster clinical trial. Key community partners with the Department of Health Services Senior Services Division and Older Adult Technology Services (OATS) will participate in the planning phase, research design, and implementation of the study.
The study aims are:
- To test the impact of a technology-based intervention on the primary outcomes of food security and diet quality;
- To determine the effect of the intervention on secondary outcomes of technology knowledge and usage, physical activity, and social isolation and loneliness;
- To examine the long-term impact and sustainability of technology use on food security, diet quality, physical activity, and social isolation.
If successful, the impact of this program could be applied throughout the national OATS network and to similar CMPs to bridge the digital divide beyond the COVID-19 pandemic
详细描述
This project will target community-dwelling older adults who are "congregate meal" program (CMP) participants living in areas at-risk of the digital divide. The CMP is funded by the Older Americans Act and serves over 2000 San Antonio older adults who live 33% below the poverty level and 18% considered at high nutritional risk. During the pandemic, seven San Antonio sites in areas with high poverty and digital exclusion remain partially open biweekly to distribute meals but did not hold in-person nutrition education, physical activity classes, and social activities. The proposed project extends existing congregate meal programming infrastructure and partnerships with Older Adults Technology Services (OATS), a national leader in creating health service programs focusing on older adults. The goal of the proposed study is to remove the digital barrier to receiving essential, evidence-based nutrition programming online, utilizing OATS' five-week technology "Essential Series," which has successfully educated thousands of older adults nationwide by providing support for technology and internet connectivity.
This proposed nutrition intervention will enrolled congregate meal participants using a stepped-wedge cluster design with two cohorts to allow for sequential intervention enrollment with simultaneous control and intervention data collection timepoints. Key community partners within Department of Health Services Senior Services Division and OATS will participate in the planning phase, research design, and implementation of the study. Feedback from congregate meal participants in focus groups will guide the development of the intervention.
The 20-week intervention will include 5 weeks technology training, including internet access and devices, followed by 15 weeks of a culturally tailored nutrition intervention via online sessions. The study will recruit 440 older adult from seven at-risk congregate meal sites. Data will be collected at baseline (T0), during the online intervention (T1), after the online intervention (T2) and 6 months post-intervention (T3).
The successful outcome of our study will be impactful because of the potential broader application of this program throughout the national OATS network and to similar CMPs to bridge the digital divide through and beyond the COVID-19 pandemic.
研究设计
- 研究类型
- Interventional
- 分配方式
- Randomized
- 干预模型
- Sequential
- 主要目的
- Supportive Care
- 盲法
- None
入排标准
- 年龄范围
- 60 Years 至 120 Years（Adult, Older Adult）
- 性别
- All
- 接受健康志愿者
- 是
入选标准
- •60 years of age
- •Inadequate or no working technology device (computer, smart-phone, tablet), no or poor internet connectivity at home, or lack of knowledge and usage of technology
- •Food insecurity or low diet quality
排除标准
- •Terminal disease or illness
- •Diagnosis of dementia or Alzheimer's disease
- •Unable to read or write in English or Spanish
结局指标
主要结局
Diet Quality as measured by the Healthy Eating Index
时间窗: Change in diet quality from baseline to 3 and 6 months
Two non-consecutive 24-hour dietary recalls will be collected and the Healthy Index will be calculated to determine diet quality.
次要结局
- Technology Use and Access(Change in technology use and access from baseline to 3 and 6 months)
- Physical Activity(Change in physical activity from baseline to 3 and 6 months)
- Social Isolation(Change in social isolation from baseline to 3 and 6 months)
- Attitudes Towards Technology(Change in attitudes towards technology from baseline to 3 and 6 months)
- Food Security(Change in food security from baseline to 3 and 6 months)
- Loneliness(Change in loneliness from baseline to 3 and 6 months)
- Malnutrition(Change in malnutrition from baseline to 3 and 6 months)
研究者
Sarah Ullevig
Associate Professor
The University of Texas at San Antonio