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Levinger P, Dreher BL, Soh SE, Dow B, Batchelor F, Hill KD. Results from the ENJOY MAP for HEALTH: a quasi experiment evaluating the impact of age-friendly outdoor exercise equipment to increase older people's park visitations and physical activity. BMC Public Health 2024; 24:1663. [PMID: 38909183 PMCID: PMC11193282 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-024-19042-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2023] [Accepted: 06/03/2024] [Indexed: 06/24/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Recreational parks can play a significant role in older people's health, with emerging evidence suggesting that changes in the physical environment, such as refurbishments of local parks, can increase park visitations and physical activity engagement. The ENJOY MAP for HEALTH aimed to evaluate the impact of Seniors Exercise Park installations and associated capacity building activities on older people's park visitation, and park-based physical activity. METHOD The ENJOY MAP for HEALTH was a quasi-experiment study design that involved the installation of specialised Seniors Exercise Park equipment as part of park refurbishment, supported by promotion and community capacity building activities in six municipalities in Victoria, Australia. Direct observations of park users took place prior to park upgrades, one-month post upgrade and 12-months from baseline. The overall number and characteristics of park visitors, and the type and level of physical activity undertaken, were summarised descriptively. Generalised linear models were used to examine the impact of park refurbishment (equipment installation and site activation) on the total number of older people observed in the park, and their engagement in physical activity, accounting for site and seasonal effects. RESULTS Overall number of visits increased following park upgrades, with the largest number of visitors observed one-month post upgrade (n = 12,501). The proportion of older people observed at the parks remained relatively low prior to and one-month post upgrade compared to other age groups. However, after adjusting for site and seasonal effects, the number of older people observed in the parks increased significantly post upgrade and site activation compared to prior to the refurbishment (incidence rate ratios (IRR) 3.55; 95% CI 2.68, 4.70). The number of older people observed to be exercising at the Seniors Exercise Park also increased by 100% at 12-months post-installation relative to one-month post upgrade (IRR 2.00; 95% CI 1.26, 3.17). CONCLUSION Installation of the Seniors Exercise Parks and the supportive programs and activities following six park upgrades resulted in an increase in older people's park visitation and engagement in physical activity. Community engagement and training of volunteers with the support of local governments are likely to contribute to the increased park usage by older people. TRIAL REGISTRATION This trial was registered with the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry. Trial registration number ACTRN12621000965808. https://www.anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?id=380745&isReview=true .
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Affiliation(s)
- Pazit Levinger
- National Ageing Research Institute, Royal Melbourne Hospital, PO Box 2127, Melbourne, 3050, Australia.
- Institute for Health and Sport, Victoria University, Melbourne, Australia.
- Rehabilitation, Ageing and Independent Living (RAIL) Research Centre, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia.
| | - Bronwyn L Dreher
- National Ageing Research Institute, Royal Melbourne Hospital, PO Box 2127, Melbourne, 3050, Australia
- Rehabilitation, Ageing and Independent Living (RAIL) Research Centre, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Sze-Ee Soh
- Rehabilitation, Ageing and Independent Living (RAIL) Research Centre, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
- School of Primary and Allied Health Care, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Briony Dow
- National Ageing Research Institute, Royal Melbourne Hospital, PO Box 2127, Melbourne, 3050, Australia
- Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
- School of Nursing and Midwifery, Deakin University, Waurn Ponds, Australia
| | - Frances Batchelor
- National Ageing Research Institute, Royal Melbourne Hospital, PO Box 2127, Melbourne, 3050, Australia
- Department of Physiotherapy, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Keith D Hill
- Rehabilitation, Ageing and Independent Living (RAIL) Research Centre, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
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Levinger P, Dreher BL, Dow B, Batchelor F, Hill KD. Older people's views and usage of recreational spaces in parks with age-friendly outdoor exercise equipment. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH RESEARCH 2024:1-13. [PMID: 38628030 DOI: 10.1080/09603123.2024.2342021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2024] [Accepted: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024]
Abstract
Recreational spaces are important public spaces for people of all ages to engage in leisure and physical activities, however older people remain one of the lowest users of park. This study investigated older people's perceptions and reasons for visiting parks that have undergone refurbishment with the installation of age-friendly outdoor exercise equipment, the Seniors Exercise Park. On-site intercept surveys took place in six parks in Victoria, Australia. Seniors Exercise Park equipment usage was audited over 12 months using on-site Quick Response (QR). A total of 139 older people were surveyed, 55.4% reported visiting to exercise, 25.9% for walking and 21.5% for fresh air/nature. Proximity to home/family (37.4%) and the availability of the Seniors Exercise Park equipment (36.7%) were the main reasons for visiting these parks. The availability of age-suitable exercise equipment in recreational spaces can support and encourage older people to access local parks and engage in physical activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pazit Levinger
- Clinical Gerontology, National Ageing Research Institute, Melbourne, Australia
- Institute for Health and Sport, Victoria University, Melbourne, Australia
- Ageing and Independent Living (RAIL) Research Centre, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Bronwyn L Dreher
- Clinical Gerontology, National Ageing Research Institute, Melbourne, Australia
- Ageing and Independent Living (RAIL) Research Centre, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Briony Dow
- Clinical Gerontology, National Ageing Research Institute, Melbourne, Australia
- Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
- School of Nursing and Midwifery, Deakin University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Frances Batchelor
- Clinical Gerontology, National Ageing Research Institute, Melbourne, Australia
- Department of Physiotherapy, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Keith D Hill
- Ageing and Independent Living (RAIL) Research Centre, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
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Zou F, Xiao J, Jin Y, Jian R, Hu Y, Liang X, Ma W, Zhu S. Multilayer factors associated with excess all-cause mortality during the omicron and non-omicron waves of the COVID-19 pandemic: time series analysis in 29 countries. BMC Public Health 2024; 24:350. [PMID: 38308279 PMCID: PMC10835930 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-024-17803-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2023] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 02/04/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in significant excess mortality globally. However, the differences in excess mortality between the Omicron and non-Omicron waves, as well as the contribution of local epidemiological characteristics, population immunity, and social factors to excess mortality, remain poorly understood. This study aims to solve the above problems. METHODS Weekly all-cause death data and covariates from 29 countries for the period 2015-2022 were collected and used. The Bayesian Structured Time Series Model predicted expected weekly deaths, stratified by gender and age groups for the period 2020-2022. The quantile-based g-computation approach accounted for the effects of factors on the excess all-cause mortality rate. Sensitivity analyses were conducted using alternative Omicron proportion thresholds. RESULTS From the first week of 2021 to the 30th week of 2022, the estimated cumulative number of excess deaths due to COVID-19 globally was nearly 1.39 million. The estimated weekly excess all-cause mortality rate in the 29 countries was approximately 2.17 per 100,000 (95% CI: 1.47 to 2.86). Weekly all-cause excess mortality rates were significantly higher in both male and female groups and all age groups during the non-Omicron wave, except for those younger than 15 years (P < 0.001). Sensitivity analysis confirmed the stability of the results. Positive associations with all-cause excess mortality were found for the constituent ratio of non-Omicron in all variants, new cases per million, positive rate, cardiovascular death rate, people fully vaccinated per hundred, extreme poverty, hospital patients per million humans, people vaccinated per hundred, and stringency index. Conversely, other factors demonstrated negative associations with all-cause excess mortality from the first week of 2021 to the 30th week of 2022. CONCLUSION Our findings indicate that the COVID-19 Omicron wave was associated with lower excess mortality compared to the non-Omicron wave. This study's analysis of the factors influencing excess deaths suggests that effective strategies to mitigate all-cause mortality include improving economic conditions, promoting widespread vaccination, and enhancing overall population health. Implementing these measures could significantly reduce the burden of COVID-19, facilitate coexistence with the virus, and potentially contribute to its elimination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fengjuan Zou
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Medicine, Jinan University, No.601 Huangpu Road West, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510632, China
| | - Jianpeng Xiao
- Guangdong Provincial Institute of Public Health, Guangdong Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 511430, China
| | - Yingying Jin
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Medicine, Jinan University, No.601 Huangpu Road West, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510632, China
| | - Ronghua Jian
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Medicine, Jinan University, No.601 Huangpu Road West, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510632, China
| | - Yijun Hu
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Medicine, Jinan University, No.601 Huangpu Road West, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510632, China
| | - Xiaofeng Liang
- Disease Control and Prevention Institute, Jinan University, No.601 Huangpu Road West, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510632, China
- Chinese Preventive Medicine Association, Beijing, 100062, China
| | - Wenjun Ma
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Medicine, Jinan University, No.601 Huangpu Road West, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510632, China.
| | - Sui Zhu
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Medicine, Jinan University, No.601 Huangpu Road West, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510632, China.
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