title: A Pilot Study of Determinants of Ongoing Participation in EnhanceFitness: A Community-Based Group Exercise Program for Older Adults.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Physical activity has many benefits for older adults, but adherence is often low. The purposes of this study were to (1) identify motivators and barriers for participation in EnhanceFitness (EF), a group-based exercise program; and (2) quantitatively examine the association between motivators, barriers and individual characteristics, and ongoing participation in the program.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a prospective, cross-sectional study. We mailed a pilot, investigator-developed survey to assess motivators and barriers to exercising to 340 adults who started a new EF class, regardless of their attendance rate. We precoded surveys on the basis of class attendance, with former participants defined as having no attendance a month or more before a 4-month fitness check.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 241 respondents (71% response rate), 61 (25%) were precoded as former participants and 180 (75%) as current participants. The mean age of respondents was 71 years and they were predominately female (89%). More than half of respondents were whites (58%), and almost half were married (46%). Former participants reported lower total motivation scores than current participants (P < .01) and had a significantly higher mean total barrier score (P < .001). The effects of 5 barriers ("Class was too hard," "Class was too easy," "I don't like to exercise," "Personal illness," and "Exercise caused pain") and 2 motivators ("I want to exercise" and "I plan exercise as part of my day") were significantly different between current and former participants. Discrete event history models show that dropout was related positively to ethnicity (whites were more likely to drop out) and health-related barriers.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In newly formed EF classes, participants who drop out report more program, psychosocial, and health barriers, and fewer program and psychosocial motivators. Total barrier score and health barriers significantly predict a participant's dropping out, and white ethnicity is associated with a higher likelihood of dropping out.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Employing strategies that address health barriers to participation could improve attendance rates for group-based exercise programs.
authors.affiliation: 1St. Therese Rehabilitation, New Hope, Minnesota. 2Department of Health Services and Health Promotion Research Center, University of Washington, Seattle. 3Psychosocial & Community Health, University of Washington, Seattle. 4School of Public Health and Health Promotion Research Center, University of Washington, Seattle.
authors.forename: David B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Gillette
authors.forename: Miruna
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Petrescu-Prahova
authors.forename: Jerald R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Herting
authors.forename: Basia
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Belza
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment / Q000379:methods; D015438:Health Behavior; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D057187:Independent Living; D008297:Male; D008910:Minnesota; D010358:Patient Participation / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010809:Physical Fitness / Q000502:physiology*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D015397:Program Evaluation; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D012111:Residence Characteristics