Evaluation of a community-based exercise program for elderly Korean immigrants.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate feasibility and effectiveness of a modified exercise program for elderly Korean immigrants (EKIs).


METHODS
Intervention study with EKI residents of a senior house (n = 13, age range 67-86 years, mean age 77 years), recruited through posted fliers and with help from a Korean social worker.


METHODS
A Korean-American instructor taught a modified version of an evidence-based exercise program 3 times weekly, 50 min per session, for 12 weeks. Program was evaluated with the Quality Health Outcomes Model. System and client characteristics were taken into consideration because elderly Koreans have their own values and beliefs, which influence their health management behaviors. Evaluation measures included exercise adherence, preintervention and postintervention health outcomes, and satisfaction with the exercise program. Group discussion was used to evaluate satisfaction with the exercise program.


RESULTS
Participants showed improved health outcomes on muscle strength, agility/balance, and blood pressure after the exercise program. All participants were satisfied with the exercise program, and participation rates were good (nine participants attended > or = 80% of classes).


CONCLUSIONS
The exercise program was feasible for this sample and should be evaluated in a larger population of EKIs and in populations of other ethnic minorities.
Sin
Mo-Kyung
MK
College of Nursing, Seattle University, 901 12th Ave, P.O. Box 222000, Seattle, WA 98122-1090, USA. sinm@seattleu.edu
Belza
Basia
B
Logerfo
James
J
Cunningham
Susanna
S
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D019058:Community Networks; D004641:Emigration and Immigration; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007723:Korea / Q000208:ethnology; D008297:Male; D015397:Program Evaluation; D014861:Washington