Increasing habitual walking by promoting purposeful activities in the neighbourhood: effects of a personalized, GIS-based intervention for mobility-limited and chronically ill older adults (MOBITEC-Routes)
Background
There is growing evidence that even low-intensity physical activity (e.g., walking at a “normal” pace) produces substantial health benefits. Walking is “universally accessible”, even for mobility-limited and chronically ill older people. To date, little consideration has been given to the environment and individual preferences of older people when promoting walking. A personalized approach based on geographic information systems (GIS) could help address the problem of low long-term adherence to walking programs.
Objective
MOBITEC-Routes aims to investigate the effects of an individualized GIS-based intervention on walking, physical activity, physical function, life space, participation in social activities, and quality of life.
Methods
In the target group of chronically ill, mobility limited older people (aged 65 years and older), the experimental intervention will be compared with a control intervention in a randomized controlled trial.
Outlook
If successful, the personalized GIS-based approach can be easily implemented in preventive health promotion.
Project lead
PD Dr. Timo Hinrichs (Department of Sport, Exercise and Health, University of Basel)
Project coordination
Dr. René Schilling (Department of Sport, Exercise and Health, University of Basel)
Project partners
Prof. Dr. Robert Weibel (Department of Geography, Geographic Information Systems Unit, University of Zurich)
Prof. Dr. Taina Rantanen (Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences & Gerontology Research Center, University of Jyväskylä, Finland)
Prof. Dr. Erja Portegijs (Human Movement Sciences, University of Groningen, Netherlands)
PD Dr. Corina Schuster-Amft (Reha Rheinfelden)
Dr. Denis Infanger (Department of Sport, Exercise and Health, University of Basel)
Dr. Eleftheria Giannouli (Department of Sport, Exercise and Health, University of Basel & Institute of Human Movement Sciences and Sport, ETH Zurich)
Dr. Christina Röcke (Healthy Longevity Center (HLC), Center for Gerontology (ZfG), University Research Priority Program (URPP) “Dynamics of Healthy Aging”, University of Zurich)
Dr. Anna Mai (Department of Medical InformaticsRuhr-University Bochum, Germany)
Prof. Dr. Arno Schmidt-Trucksäss (Department of Sport, Exercise and Health, University of Basel)
Software programming
Alexandros Sofios (University Research Priority Program (URPP) “Dynamics of Healthy Aging”, University of Zurich)
Advisory Board
Katrin Ackermann (Pro Senectute beider Basel)
Stephan Riedl (Verband der Privaten Krankenversicherung e.V., Germany)
Prof. Dr. Jan-Marc Hodek (Ravensburg-Weingarten University of Applied Sciences, Germany)
Prof. Dr. Ulrich Thiem (Albertinen-Haus Hamburg & University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Germany)
Funding
Velux Stiftung (Project No. 1782)
Duration
2023-2027
Publications
Hinrichs T, Schilling R, Sofios A, Giannouli E, Röcke R, Infanger D, Rantanen T, Portegijs E, Schuster-Amft C, Mai A, Schmidt-Trucksäss A, Weibel R: Making use of participatory GIS in walking promotion – the MOBITEC-Routes approach. Abstracts of the 27th Nordic Congress of Gerontology 2024 “Ageing in a transforming world” – 12-14 June 2024 (Online Abstract). Stockholm/Sweden.
Portegijs E, Tuomola E-M, Mümken S, Hinrichs T: Studying determinants of out-of-home mobility and activity behavior and empowering people through spatial data. Abstracts of the 27th Nordic Congress of Gerontology 2024 “Ageing in a transforming world” – 12-14 June 2024 (Online Abstract). Stockholm/Sweden.
