Core Domains for Research on Hospital Inactivity in Acutely Ill Older Adults: A Delphi Consensus Study

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Rehabilitation Medicine
• Clinical Research Methodology

Background:

• Hospitalized older adults with acute medical illnesses often experience reduced physical activity and increased sedentary behavior.
• This can lead to functional decline, longer hospital stays, and poorer health outcomes.
• Standardized outcome measures are needed to effectively study interventions in this population.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify and establish consensus on core domains for research investigating physical activity and sedentary behavior in hospitalized older adults.
• To inform the development of a core-outcome set for consistent research reporting.

Main Methods:

• A 4-round Delphi consensus process involving international experts, clinicians, policymakers, and patients.
• Online surveys were used to generate and rate potential core domains using a Likert scale.
• Consensus was defined by specific thresholds for rating domains as "critical" or "not important".

Main Results:

• 17 core domains reached consensus agreement across the Delphi rounds.
• Four domains were identified as "critically important" for evaluation: physical functioning, social functioning, emotional functioning, and hospital outcomes.
• These domains provide a foundation for developing a standardized core-outcome set.

Conclusions:

• This study established international expert consensus on core domains for research on physical activity and sedentary behavior in hospitalized older adults.
• The identified domains will help standardize outcome measurement and reporting in this field.
• This work aims to accelerate research into effective interventions to improve physical activity and reduce sedentary behavior in hospitalized older adults.