Frailty Prevention Intervention Using a Digital Peer-Supported App in Older Japanese Adults: Part of the RE-AIM evaluation

Kento Tabira, Yuko Oguma, Shota Yoshihara, Megumi Shibuya, Shin Murakami, Manabu Nakamura
Purpose:

This study aimed to report the preliminary effects of the DPSA frailty prevention intervention.

Methods:

This study used data obtained from a frailty prevention project conducted in nine municipalities using DPSA. The duration of the intervention varied across municipalities. The DPSA was implemented in a pretest–posttest within-participant design. The DPSA creates a group chat for up to five people with a common goal, and the participants anonymously posted messages to each other in the group. The common goal of this study was frailty prevention. The participants posted a set of step counts, photos, and comments in a group chat box once daily. Frailty was assessed using the frailty screening index with five items: shrinking, physical function, physical activity, forgetfulness, and exhaustion (Yamada, 2015). The total scores for these items of 0, 1–2, and ≥ 3 points indicated robust, pre-frailty, and frailty statuses, respectively. We analyzed the changes in frailty status before and after the intervention using a linear mixed model adjusted for intervention duration.

Results:

A total of 76 participants who completed the Frailty Prevention Project with pre- and post-intervention data were analyzed: 11 (14.5%) were in their 60s; 42 (55.3%), 70s; and, 23 (30.3%), 80s, and 48 (63.2%) were women. The median intervention duration was 77 days (min–max: 57–169 days). At baseline, 17 (22.4%) were robust; 50 (65.8%), pre-frail; and, 9 (11.8%), frail. After the use of DPSA, 31 (40.8%) were robust; 44 (57.9%), pre-frail; and, 1, (1.3%) frail, indicating significant improvement (p0.001). 

Conclusion(s):

Digital peer-supported app interventions aimed at preventing frailty may prevent frailty. Future studies are required to comprehensively evaluate whether the effects of DPSA are sustainable and can be widely applied using RE-AIM framework.

Implications:

We propose a method for preventing frailty using mobile apps. This would extend the healthy life expectancy of older adults, improve their quality of life, and reduce the burden of caregiving and medical care.

Funding acknowledgements:
This research was supported by a grant from the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and A10lab Inc.
Keywords:
mHealth
peer support
frailty
Primary topic:
Older people
Second topic:
Research methodology, knowledge translation and implementation science
Third topic:
Health promotion and wellbeing/healthy ageing/physical activity
Did this work require ethics approval?:
Yes
Name the institution and ethics committee that approved your work:
Committee of Sports Medicine Research Center at Keio University
Provide the ethics approval number:
2023-05
Has any of this material been/due to be published or presented at another national or international conference prior to the World Physiotherapy Congress 2025?:
No

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