BMC Public Health. 2025 Aug 16;25(1):2795. doi: 10.1186/s12889-025-24048-6.
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: The health of the elderly represents a critical public health concern that can be positively influenced by the adoption of health-promoting lifestyle behaviors. This quasi-experimental study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of multimodal educational interventions in improving the lifestyle of older adults.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: This quasi-experimental intervention study was conducted with 118 eligible elderly participants recruited from health service centers in Qom, Iran. Data were collected using a two-part questionnaire comprising demographic information and the Health-Promoting Lifestyle Profile II (HPLP-II). The intervention group participated in eight 30-minute group sessions (organized into six groups), held twice weekly, covering topics such as nutrition, physical activity, stress management, and mental health. The control group did not receive any educational intervention during the study period. Two months following the completion of the educational program, the questionnaire was re-administered to both groups. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 21. Descriptive statistics were employed to summarize participant characteristics and study variables. Inferential analyses included Box’s M test to assess the homogeneity of variance-covariance matrices, as well as univariate and multivariate analyses of covariance (ANCOVA and MANCOVA), with the significance level set at 0.05.
FINDINGS: The mean scores for lifestyle dimensions-including health responsibility, physical activity, nutrition, stress management, interpersonal relationships, spiritual growth, and self-actualization-did not differ significantly between the intervention and control groups prior to the educational program. However, following the intervention, the mean scores in the intervention group increased significantly across all dimensions (p < 0.0001).
CONCLUSION: The findings indicate that the educational intervention had a positive effect on all six dimensions of lifestyle-related behaviors among the elderly.
PMID:40819050 | DOI:10.1186/s12889-025-24048-6
