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Physical activity among hospitalised older people:: insights from upper and lower limb accelerometry

Physical activity among hospitalised older people:: insights from upper and lower limb accelerometry
Physical activity among hospitalised older people:: insights from upper and lower limb accelerometry
Background Few studies have explored the activity levels of hospitalised older people and the intra-daily activity patterns in this group have not been described.
Aims To describe the quantity and daily pattern of physical activity among hospitalised older people using two accelerometers: the ankle-worn StepWatch Activity Monitor (SAM), and the wrist-worn GENEActiv.
Methods This cross-sectional observational study was conducted on the acute medical wards for older people in one UK hospital. Inclusion criteria: participants aged ≥ 70 years, and able to mobilise prior to admission. Participants wore both
devices for up to seven consecutive days, or until hospital discharge, whichever was sooner. Intra-daily activity levels were analysed hourly over each 24 h period.
Results 38 participants (mean age 87.8 years, SD 4.8) had their activity levels measured using both devices. The SAM median daily step count was 600 (IQR 240–1427). Intra-daily activity analysis showed two peak periods of ambulatory activity between 9 am–11 am and 6 pm–7 pm. With physical activity defined as ≥ 12 milli-g (GENEActiv), the median time spent above this cut-off point was 4.2 h. 62% of this activity time was only sustained for 1–5 min. Acceptability of both devices was high overall, but the wrist-worn device (96%) was more acceptable to patients than the ankle-worn device (83%).
Conclusion Activity levels of these hospitalised older people were very low. Most physical activity was sustained over short periods. The intra-daily pattern of activity is an interesting finding which can help clinicians implement time-specific interventions to address the important issue of sedentary behaviour.
Older people , hospital, physical activity, Accelerometer
1594-0667
1363-1369
Lim, S. E. R.
dd2bfbd7-7f74-4365-b77e-9989f6408ddc
Dodds, R.
2f7c0dea-4cd7-4f91-9fd2-a5ff20706870
Bacon, D.
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Sayer, A. A.
fb4c2053-6d51-4fc1-9489-c3cb431b0ffb
Roberts, H. C.
5ea688b1-ef7a-4173-9da0-26290e18f253
Lim, S. E. R.
dd2bfbd7-7f74-4365-b77e-9989f6408ddc
Dodds, R.
2f7c0dea-4cd7-4f91-9fd2-a5ff20706870
Bacon, D.
6ac0d529-d163-4464-ac2f-80fa7df8817e
Sayer, A. A.
fb4c2053-6d51-4fc1-9489-c3cb431b0ffb
Roberts, H. C.
5ea688b1-ef7a-4173-9da0-26290e18f253

Lim, S. E. R., Dodds, R., Bacon, D., Sayer, A. A. and Roberts, H. C. (2018) Physical activity among hospitalised older people:: insights from upper and lower limb accelerometry. Aging Clinical and Experimental Research, 30 (11), 1363-1369. (doi:10.1007/s40520-018-0930-0).

Record type: Article

Abstract

Background Few studies have explored the activity levels of hospitalised older people and the intra-daily activity patterns in this group have not been described.
Aims To describe the quantity and daily pattern of physical activity among hospitalised older people using two accelerometers: the ankle-worn StepWatch Activity Monitor (SAM), and the wrist-worn GENEActiv.
Methods This cross-sectional observational study was conducted on the acute medical wards for older people in one UK hospital. Inclusion criteria: participants aged ≥ 70 years, and able to mobilise prior to admission. Participants wore both
devices for up to seven consecutive days, or until hospital discharge, whichever was sooner. Intra-daily activity levels were analysed hourly over each 24 h period.
Results 38 participants (mean age 87.8 years, SD 4.8) had their activity levels measured using both devices. The SAM median daily step count was 600 (IQR 240–1427). Intra-daily activity analysis showed two peak periods of ambulatory activity between 9 am–11 am and 6 pm–7 pm. With physical activity defined as ≥ 12 milli-g (GENEActiv), the median time spent above this cut-off point was 4.2 h. 62% of this activity time was only sustained for 1–5 min. Acceptability of both devices was high overall, but the wrist-worn device (96%) was more acceptable to patients than the ankle-worn device (83%).
Conclusion Activity levels of these hospitalised older people were very low. Most physical activity was sustained over short periods. The intra-daily pattern of activity is an interesting finding which can help clinicians implement time-specific interventions to address the important issue of sedentary behaviour.

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More information

Accepted/In Press date: 6 March 2018
e-pub ahead of print date: 14 March 2018
Published date: November 2018
Keywords: Older people , hospital, physical activity, Accelerometer

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 419055
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/419055
ISSN: 1594-0667
PURE UUID: e138d881-f667-4905-954b-23157da52cc2
ORCID for S. E. R. Lim: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0003-2496-2362
ORCID for R. Dodds: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0003-4968-7678
ORCID for D. Bacon: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0003-3719-8340
ORCID for H. C. Roberts: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-5291-1880

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Date deposited: 28 Mar 2018 16:30
Last modified: 16 Mar 2024 06:23

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Contributors

Author: S. E. R. Lim ORCID iD
Author: R. Dodds ORCID iD
Author: D. Bacon ORCID iD
Author: A. A. Sayer
Author: H. C. Roberts ORCID iD

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