This Project has concluded. The information below is for informational purposes only.
Arthritis is the most prevalent chronic condition in the United States and is a leading cause of disability. The economic, social and psychological impact associated with arthritis is enormous.
As is well known, self-management is very important in chronic diseases, and promoting physical activity is a key public health strategy to address arthritis management. Evidence has shown that regular moderate-intensity physical activity improves symptoms and function in persons with arthritis. Lifestyle physical activity provides an important alternative for people who cannot fit traditional fitness center-based exercise into their daily lives.
A 20-week behavior-based program was developed by the Cooper Institute, Brown University, and Human Kinetics to help people with sedentary lifestyles become and stay physically active. A randomized trial evaluated the effectiveness and efficacy of a similar program, on which Active Living Every Day is based ALED , on cardiovascular disease risk factors, cost-effectiveness, and cardiorespiratory fitness. However, the current research supporting ALED is limited for people with arthritis.
We have conducted a randomized clinical trial of the ALED program in community sites located throughout North Carolina. The overall goal of this project was to test the efficacy and effectiveness of ALED on approximately 350 people with arthritis.
Objectives
We worked with the Area Agencies on Aging to identify individuals to train and deliver the program in at least 10 of the 17 Councils of Government (multi-county planning and development commissions) in North Carolina
Training course leaders and delivering ALED to the study population
Evaluating cardiorespiratory fitness, physical activity, quality of life, and arthritis-specific outcomes on the intervention and control groups
Formulating recommendations about implementation of ALED through the North Carolina public health network. This will be accomplished by conducting qualitative interviews with the participants in the intervention arm, ALED instructors, and program implementers in the North Carolina public health network.