Effects of the Programme Developed for Sedentary Elderly in the COVID-19 Pandemic: Mobile Interventional Study

Type of Research The study was designed as a randomised controlled study with the control group Research Sample

The population of the study consists of individuals over the age of 65 in Turkey during the COVID 19 pandemic. For this purpose, information messages were sent to Tekirdag Namik Kemal University undergraduate students who continue their distance education between 15 May-1 June. The students were asked to invite individuals aged 65 and over who are in their immediate environment (relatives, neighbors, etc.) who meet the inclusion criteria to participate in the study. All volunteer participants in the determined date section were called by phone and their compliance with the inclusion and exclusion criteria was evaluated. All participants meeting the inclusion criteria were included in the study population (n= 94). If the minimum sample size cannot be reached, it is planned to extend the participation period in the study. The sample size was calculated using the G Power program to calculate the minimum number of samples to be used in the study. In determining the sample size, considering the previously published articles in which similar interventions were applied, Type 1 error amount was 0.05, test power was 0.95, and effect size: 0.83; The minimum number of samples required was determined as 64 (32 experimental + 32 control group) for the experimental and control groups. All participants meeting the inclusion criteria were randomly divided into experimental and control groups by a statistician outside the study using the Random Online Allocation Software program (www.Graphpad.com). A double-blind technique was used in the assignment of the groups.

Research Process After obtaining the ethics committee and institutional permissions for the research, "Socio-demographic information form", "EuroQOL General Quality of Life Scale" and "Perceived Stress Scale" online questionnaires were applied to all elderly people who met the inclusion criteria as a pre-test. Elderly people who have vision problems and could not answer the online questionnaire were asked to read and answer questions by telephone interview. In addition, a pedometer device was sent to all the elderly in the experimental and control groups. It will be explained in detail how to use it, and they will be asked to record the number of steps and weights on the "Following Chart" for 2 months. Unlike the control group, the intervention group will be applied to the "Stay at Home Step by Step Program" (EKAAP), which will last for 4 weeks.

As a post-test, "Socio-demographic information form", "EuroQOL General Quality of Life Scale" and "Perceived Stress Scale" will be applied to both the experimental and control groups. One month after the intervention is completed, it will be possible to monitor the change in step counts, weight values, EuroQOL General Quality of Life Scale and Perceived Stress Scale scores of the elderly.

Data Collection Tools

• Socio-Demographic Information Form The Descriptive Questionnaire was created by the researchers by examining the relevant literature. This form includes questions about socio-demographic characteristics (age, marital status, gender, education level, number of children, people with whom they live, place of residence, household size, employment status).
• EuroQOL General Quality of Life Scale It is a scale developed to assess health-related quality of life. It consists of two parts: Chapter 1 defines the health profile in five dimensions (mobility, self-care, social life, pain and psychological state). Each dimension contains three statements according to difficulty (1 a little problem; 2 medium; 3 a lot of problems), Section 2 includes the visual analog scale, in which respondents rate their current health status on a scale of 0 to 100. Easy to apply and quickly identified.Turkish validity and reliability were done by Kahyaoglu Süt and Ünsar.
• Perceived Stress Scale The scale was developed by Cohen et al. Its validity and reliability study was conducted by Erci, and it was determined that it was adapted to Turkish society and appropriate.The scale consists of 10 items, and each item receives 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 points, respectively.The scale is evaluated over the total score and the scores are calculated between 10-50. A score of 30 and above indicates that the individual has stress. As the score increases, the stress level also increases. In the validity and reliability study of the scale, it was determined that the test-retest correlation was 0.88.

Statistical procedure

Percentage, mean, standard deviation will be used in the evaluation of the data. Chi-square, Fisher's exact test, independent paired T-test and Mann-Whitney U test will be used for comparison between groups and within groups. p <0.05 will be considered statistically significant.

Inclusion criteria

• Those who volunteered to participate in the study
• No mental disability,
• Can read and write Turkish
• Using a smartphone
• No muscle-joint problems that interfere with physical activity
• No neuropsychiatric disorder
• No cognitive problem that prevents communication
• Not diagnosed as COVID 19 positive
• Able to carry out activities of daily living independently
• All individuals aged 65 and over will be included. Sedentary elderly people who take an average of 2000 or less steps per day

Exclusion criteria

• Having insulin-dependent Type 2 diabetes
• Having hypertension and not being able to control it with medication
• Being diagnosed with Heart Failure
• Being diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
• Being diagnosed with asthma
• Being diagnosed with cancer