title: How to Tackle Key Challenges in the Promotion of Physical Activity among Older Adults (65+): The AEQUIPA Network Approach.
abstract: The paper introduces the theoretical framework and methods/instruments used by the Physical Activity and Health Equity: Primary Prevention for Healthy Ageing (AEQUIPA) prevention research network as an interdisciplinary approach to tackle key challenges in the promotion of physical activity among older people (65+). Drawing on the social-ecological model, the AEQUIPA network developed an interdisciplinary methodological design including quantitative/qualitative studies and systematic reviews, while combining expertise from diverse fields: public health, psychology, urban planning, sports sciences, health technology and geriatrics. AEQUIPA tackles key challenges when promoting physical activity (PA) in older adults: tailoring of interventions, fostering community readiness and participation, strengthening intersectoral collaboration, using new technological devices and evaluating intervention generated inequalities. AEQUIPA aims to strengthen the evidence base for age-specific preventive PA interventions and to yield new insights into the explanatory power of individual and contextual factors. Currently, the empirical work is still underway. First experiences indicate that thenetwork has achieved a strong regional linkage with communities, local stakeholders and individuals. However, involving inactive persons and individuals from minority groups remained challenging. A review of existing PA intervention studies among the elderly revealed the potential to assess equity effects. The results will add to the theoretical and methodological discussion on evidence-based age-specific PA interventions and will contribute to the discussion about European and national health targets.
authors.affiliation: Leibniz Institute for Prevention Research and Epidemiology-BIPS, 28359 Bremen, Germany. forberger@leibniz-bips.de.
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Forberger
authors.affiliation: Working Group Epidemiology of Demographic Change, Institute for Public Health und Nursing Research (IPP), Faculty for Human and Health Sciences, University of Bremen, 28359 Bremen, Germany. bammann@uni-bremen.de.
authors.forename: Karin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bammann
authors.affiliation: Geriatrisches Zentrum, Universität Heidelberg, Agaplesion Bethanien-Krankenhaus, 69126 Heidelberg, Germany. juergen.bauer@bethanien-heidelberg.de.
authors.forename: Jürgen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bauer
authors.affiliation: Media Informatics and Multimedia Systems, Department of Computing Science, Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg, 26121 Oldenburg, Germany. Susanne.Boll@informatik.uni-oldenburg.de.
authors.forename: Susanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Boll
authors.affiliation: Department of Social Epidemiology, Institute for Public Health and Nursing Research, University of Bremen, 28359 Bremen, Germany. gabriele.bolte@uni-bremen.de.|Research Focus Health Sciences Bremen, University of Bremen, 28359 Bremen, Germany. gabriele.bolte@uni-bremen.de.
authors.forename: Gabriele
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bolte
authors.affiliation: Leibniz Institute for Prevention Research and Epidemiology-BIPS, 28359 Bremen, Germany. brand@leibniz-bips.de.
authors.forename: Tilman
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Brand
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Services Research, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg, 26111 Oldenburg, Germany. andreas.hein@uni-oldenburg.de.
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hein
authors.affiliation: Section Technology and Health for Humans, Jade University of Applied Sciences Oldenburg, 26121 Oldenburg, Germany. frauke.koppelin@jade-hs.de.
authors.forename: Frauke
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Koppelin
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology and Methods, Jacobs University Bremen, 28759 Bremen, Germany. s.lippke@jacobs-university.de.
authors.forename: Sonia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lippke
authors.affiliation: OFFIS-Institute for Information Technology, 26121 Oldenburg, Germany. jochen.meyer@offis.de.
authors.forename: Jochen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Meyer
authors.affiliation: Leibniz Institute for Prevention Research and Epidemiology-BIPS, 28359 Bremen, Germany. pischke@leibniz-bips.de.
authors.forename: Claudia R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Pischke
authors.affiliation: Institute of Human Movement Science and Health, Faculty of Behavioral and Social Sciences, Chemnitz University of Technology, 09107 Chemnitz, Germany. claudia.voelcker-rehage@hsw.tu-chemnitz.de.
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Voelcker-Rehage
authors.affiliation: Leibniz Institute for Prevention Research and Epidemiology-BIPS, 28359 Bremen, Germany. zeeb@leibniz-bips.de.|Research Focus Health Sciences Bremen, University of Bremen, 28359 Bremen, Germany. zeeb@leibniz-bips.de.
authors.forename: Hajo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zeeb
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D015444:Exercise; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods* / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D010348:Patient Care Team; D011634:Public Health
keywords: ageing; ageing research; older adults; physical activity