The Exercise Right for Active Ageing study: A pre-post evaluation of health-related quality of life and cost-utility in older Australians following a 12-week exercise programme.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: To determine the effect of a 12-week subsidised exercise programme on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in community-dwelling older Australians, and the cost-utility of the programme. DESIGN: Quasi-experimental, pre-post study. METHODS: Participants included community-dwelling older adults, aged ≥65 years, from every state and territory of Australia. The intervention consisted of 12 one-hour, weekly, low-to-moderate-intensity exercise classes, delivered by accredited exercise scientists or physiologists (AESs/AEPs). Health-related quality of life was measured before and after programme participation using the EQ-5D-3L and converted to a utility index using Australian value tariffs. Participant, organisational and service provider costs were reported. Multivariable linear mixed models were used to evaluate the change in HRQoL following programme completion. Cost-utility outcomes were reported as incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs), based on programme costs and the change in utility scores. RESULTS: 3511 older adults (77 % female) with a median (IQR) age of 72 (69-77) years completed follow-up testing. There was a small improvement in EQ-5D-3L utility scores after programme completion (0.04, 95 % CI 0.04, 0.05, p < 0.001). The cost per quality-adjusted life year (QALY) gained was $12,893. CONCLUSIONS: Older Australians who participated in the Exercise Right for Active Ageing programme reported small improvements in HRQoL following programme completion, and this included older adults living in regional/rural areas. Funding subsidised exercise classes, may be a low-cost strategy for improving health outcomes in older adults and reducing geographic health disparities. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION The study was registered with the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ANZCTR) (ACTRN12623000483651).