Beyond p Values: A Qualitative Evaluation of the Aging Mastery Program Implementation in Los Angeles County

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Public Health
• Health Behavior Interventions

Background:

• The National Council on Aging's Aging Mastery Program (AMP) is designed to support older adults in adopting healthy behaviors.
• This community-partnered evaluation assessed AMP's implementation effectiveness and participant outcomes in Los Angeles, extending beyond a randomized controlled trial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a qualitative process evaluation of the Aging Mastery Program (AMP).
• To understand participant outcomes and identify potential site-level implementation issues.
• To supplement findings from a randomized waitlist controlled trial.

Main Methods:

• Interviews with site directors to identify implementation challenges.
• Review of participant feedback for common themes.
• Focus groups to gather additional insights.

Main Results:

• The AMP program is compatible with site goals and meets participant needs.
• Participants expressed increased interest in nutrition, healthy eating, and exercise.
• Participant feedback revealed interests (e.g., socialization) not measured in the controlled trial.

Conclusions:

• Mixed-methods evaluations are recommended for future AMP assessments to capture both quantitative and qualitative outcomes.
• Future evaluations should consider incorporating measures for constructs like socialization, identified as important by participants.