IMPROVING DIET, SELF-RATED HEALTH, & BMI FOR OLDER ADULTS WITH A STUDENT-LED HEALTH EDUCATION INTERVENTION

Q: What intervention was delivered to older adults in this study?

A 15-week, student-led health education intervention based on Persuasive Hope Theory was delivered to 39 older adults.

Q: Which outcomes improved significantly after the program?

Fruit and vegetable intake increased significantly, BMI decreased significantly, and self-rated health increased significantly after the program.

Q: Did self-efficacy or physical activity change significantly over time?

No significant differences were found in self-efficacy or physical activity levels over time.

Sep 28, 2026

Uploaded by Jordan Avery

Older adults in Alaska represent the fastest growing population in the state and encounter major shortages in healthcare providers. To address this, a 15-week, student-led health education intervention grounded in Persuasive Hope Theory was delivered to 39 older adults to increase hope and improve health outcomes. The study tested changes in self-efficacy, fruit and vegetable intake, physical activity, self-rated health, and BMI. Dependent sample t-tests showed significant improvements in fruit and vegetable servings (p<.01), lower BMI (p<.05), and higher self-rated health (p<.01), with no significant changes in self-efficacy or physical activity over time.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages1

Reading Time3 min

AccessFree to download

Study intervention and rationale

Research question and outcomes

Statistical testing and results

Sample size and power analysis

Interpretation and implications

38 Innovation in Aging, 2025, Vol. 9, No. S2 Abstract citation ID: igaf122.126 IMPROVING DIET, SELF-RATED HEALTH, & BMI FOR OLDER ADULTS WITH A STUDENT-LED HEALTH EDUCATION INTERVENTION Britteny Howell1, Amber Worthington1, Leslie Redmond2, and Vanessa Hiratsuka3, 1. University of Alaska Anchorage, Anchorage, Alaska, United States, 2. University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, 3. Southcentral Foundation, Anchorage, Alaska, United States Older adults in Alaska make up the fastest growing population in the state and face some of the greatest provider shortagesin the country. Research suggests that older adults may respond better to positive, hopeful information that aligns with their desires and goals for the future. Therefore, we designed and delivered a 15-week, student-led health intervention using Persuasive Hope Theory to 39 older adults to increase feelings of hope and improve health. Our research question was: Did self-efficacy, fruit and vegetable intake, physical activity, self-rated health, or BMI improve significantly as a result of the program? Dependent sample t-tests revealed that the number of servings of fruit and vegetables consumed increased significantly after the program compared to before the program (p<.01) . BMI was also statistically significantly lower after the program compared to before the program (p<.05) and participants’ self-rated health was significantly higher after the program compared to before the program (p<.01). There was no significant difference in self-efficacy or physical activity levels over time. A power analysis was conducted using G*Power version [3.1.9.7](3.1.9.7) that indicated the required sample size to achieve 80% power at a significance criterion of α = 0.5, is N = 27 for a dependent sample t-test. Despite the use of a small, convenience sample, results indicate that participants were satisfied with the student-led intervention that significantly helped to decrease BMI and increase fruit and vegetable intake and self-rated health among the sample population, which can serve as a model for other hope-based, intergenerational healthy aging initiatives.

FAQs

What intervention was delivered to older adults in this study?

A 15-week, student-led health education intervention based on Persuasive Hope Theory was delivered to 39 older adults.

Which outcomes improved significantly after the program?

Fruit and vegetable intake increased significantly, BMI decreased significantly, and self-rated health increased significantly after the program.

Did self-efficacy or physical activity change significantly over time?

No significant differences were found in self-efficacy or physical activity levels over time.

Sep 28, 2026

Uploaded by Jordan Avery