Key considerations and recommendations for recruiting older adults in physical activity studies

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Public Health
• Exercise Science

Background:

• Older adults face significant barriers to physical activity (PA) participation.
• Recruiting this demographic for PA studies is challenging, especially for vulnerable groups and those with limited digital literacy for technology-assisted interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish expert consensus on key considerations for recruiting older adults into physical activity studies.
• To develop recommendations for designing and implementing effective recruitment strategies.

Main Methods:

• A mixed-methods approach combining formal consensus processes with two-round Delphi surveys.
• Expert panels formulated initial recommendations, followed by iterative evaluation and refinement by external experts.

Main Results:

• A consensus was reached on 34 key recommendations across four domains: ethical principles, informed consent, stakeholder engagement, and recruitment strategies for technology-assisted PA.
• Agreement rates for recommendations ranged from 71.0% to 96.8%.

Conclusions:

• The study provides expert-driven recommendations to enhance the recruitment of older adults for physical activity studies.
• Key areas include ethical considerations, informed consent, stakeholder collaboration, and tailored strategies for technology-assisted interventions.