Remote Evidence-Based Health Promotion Programs During COVID: A National Evaluation of Reach and Implementation for Older Adult Health Equity.

INTRODUCTION.: Evidence-based health promotion programs (EBPs) support older adults where they live, work, pray, play, and age. COVID-19 placed a disproportionate burden on this population, especially those with chronic conditions. In-person EBPs shifted to remote delivery via video-conferencing, phone, and mail during the pandemic, creating opportunities and challenges for older adult health equity. METHOD.: In 2021-2022, we conducted a process evaluation of remote EBPs by purposively sampling diverse U.S. organizations and older adults (people of color, rural, and/or with disabilities). The Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, Maintenance (RE-AIM) + Equity framework was used to understand program reach and implementation, including FRAME to describe adaptations for remote delivery. Analyses include descriptive statistics and thematic analysis of participant and provider surveys and interviews, and joint display tables to compare learnings. RESULTS.: Findings from 31 EBPs through 198 managers/leaders and 107 organizations suggest remote delivery increases EBP reach by improving access for older adults who are underserved. For programs requiring new software or hardware, challenges remain reaching those with limited access to-or comfort using-technology. Adaptations were to context (e.g., shorter, smaller classes with longer duration) and for equity (e.g., phone formats, autogenerated captioning); content was unchanged except where safety was concerned. Implementation is facilitated by remote delivery guidelines, distance training, and technology support; and hindered by additional time, staffing, and resources for engagement and delivery. CONCLUSIONS.: Remote EBP delivery is promising for improving equitable access to quality health promotion. Future policies and practices must support technology access and usability for all older adults.

Remote Evidence-Based Programs for Health Promotion to Support Older Adults During the COVID-19 Pandemic and Beyond: Mixed Methods Outcome Evaluation.

BACKGROUND: Evidence-based programs (EBPs) for health promotion were developed to reach older adults where they live, work, pray, and play. When the COVID-19 pandemic placed a disproportionate burden on older adults living with chronic conditions and the community-based organizations that support them, these in-person programs shifted to remote delivery. While EBPs have demonstrated effectiveness when delivered in person, less is known about outcomes when delivered remotely. OBJECTIVE: This study evaluated changes in remote EBP participants' health and well-being in a national mixed methods outcome evaluation in January 1, 2021, to March 31, 2022. METHODS: We used the RE-AIM (Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, and Maintenance) for equity framework to guide the evaluation. We purposively sampled for diverse remote EBP delivery modes and delivery organizations, staff, and traditionally underserved older adults, including people of color and rural dwellers. We included 5 EBPs for self-management, falls prevention, and physical activity: videoconferencing (Chronic Disease Self-Management Program, Diabetes Self-Management Program, and EnhanceFitness), telephone plus mailed materials (Chronic Pain Self-Management Program), and enhanced self-directed mailed materials (Walk With Ease). Participant and provider data included validated surveys, in-depth interviews, and open-ended survey questions. We used descriptive statistics to characterize the sample and the magnitude of change and paired t tests (2-tailed) and the Fisher exact test to test for change in outcomes between enrollment and 6-month follow-up. Thematic analysis was used to identify similarities and differences in outcomes within and across programs. Joint display tables facilitated the integration of quantitative and qualitative findings. RESULTS: A total of 586 older adults, 198 providers, and 37 organizations providing EBPs participated in the evaluation. Of the 586 older adults, 289 (49.3%) provided follow-up outcome data. The mean age of the EBP participants was 65.4 (SD 12.0) years. Of the 289 EBP participants, 241 (83.4%) were female, 108 (37.3%) were people of color, 113 (39.1%) lived alone, and 99 (34.3%) were experiencing financial hardship. In addition, the participants reported a mean of 2.5 (SD 1.7) chronic conditions. Overall, the remote EBP participants showed statistically significant improvements in health, energy, sleep quality, loneliness, depressive symptoms, and technology anxiety. Qualitatively, participants shared improvements in knowledge, attitudes, and skills for healthier living; reduced their social isolation and loneliness; and gained better access to programs. Three-fourths of the providers (149/198, 75.2%) felt that effectiveness was maintained when switching from in-person to remote delivery. CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest that participating in remote EBPs can improve health, social, and technological outcomes of interest for older adults and providers, with benefits extending to policy makers. Future policy and practice can better support remote EBP delivery as one model for health promotion, improving access for all older adults.