Using a Physical Activity Application to Promote Physical Activity Levels Among Aged People: A Follow-Up Study

Abstract

The share and life expectancy of the ageing population are increasing. However, aged people are threatened by insufficient physical activity. Therefore, finding ways to support people to live a physically active life in older age is imperative. Digital wellness technologies represent a potential solution, but in order for such technologies to be effective, research is needed to gain a better understanding on their use among aged people. To address this need, this study investigated whether the use of a physical activity application can promote physical activity among aged people. The physical activity levels were measured at three different time points: before taking the application into use, after four months of use, and after 12 months of use. The results show a modest increase in the physical activity levels. When examining physical activity categories (based on the IPAQ-E), a participant rather shifted to a higher than to a lower physical activity category. Overall, the changes were more substantial after 12 months than after four months of use. The results suggest that physical activity applications used in everyday life have potential in promoting physical activity levels among aged people.

Does Physical Activity Application Use Promote Self-Efficacy for Exercise? A Study Among Aged People

“…The proliferation of digital wellness technologies, that is, "digital technologies that can be used to support different aspects of wellness" [1], has allowed various types of users with different physical activity levels to find suitable solutions for personal use [2,3]. There exist a wide array of devices, applications, and services to support physical activity and exercise.…”

“…Digital wellness technologies provide a prospective solution. The potential of digital wellness technologies to promote physical activity and exercise among aged people has been suggested [e.g., 1,12], but more detailed research on their potential to promote related self-efficacy among aged people is scarce, and more research is needed. To address this need, our study investigates the following research question: How effective is the use of a physical activity application in promoting self-efficacy for exercise among aged people?…”

Creating a Taxonomy of Business Models for Data Marketplaces

“…Future research with different digital wellness technologies and focus on other changes besides behavior would be valuable. As long-term research on related topics is much called for, we plan to continue the follow-ups to complement earlier study findings (e.g., Kari et al 2021;. Introduction…”

User Information Satisfaction Among Female Refugees and Immigrants as Assessed by the Level of Information Literacy on Social Media

“…Digital wellness technologies, that is, "digital technologies that can be used to support different aspects of wellness" (Kari et al 2021), represent a potential solution. There are various PA devices, applications, and services, the use of which has become increasingly common for diverse types of users with different PA levels (Kettunen et al 2017;Moilanen et al 2014).…”