Preliminary investigation of the student-delivered Community Outreach teleheAlth program for Covid education and Health promotion (COACH)

Fam Pract. 2022 Jul 28:cmac079. doi: 10.1093/fampra/cmac079. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: COVID-19 public health restrictions (i.e. physical distancing) compromise individuals' ability to self-manage their health behaviours and may increase the risks of adverse health events.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the student-delivered Community Outreach teleheAlth program for Covid education and Health promotion (COACH) on health-directed behaviour (self-management) among older adults (≥65 years of age, n = 75). Secondary objectives estimated the influence of COACH on perceived depression, anxiety, and stress; social support; health-related quality of life; health promotion self-efficacy; and other self-management domains.

METHODS: COACH was developed to provide chronic disease management and prevention support among older adults via telephone or videoconferencing platforms (i.e. Zoom). In this single-group, pre-post study, our primary outcome was measured using the health-directed behaviour subscale of the Health Education Impact Questionnaire. Secondary measures included the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale, Medical Outcomes Study: Social Support Survey, MOS Short Form-36, and Self-Rated Abilities for Health Practices Scale. Paired sample t-tests were used to analyse outcome changes.

RESULTS: Mean age of participants was 72.4 years (58.7% female; 80% ≥2 chronic conditions). Health-directed behaviour significantly improved after COACH (P < 0.001, d = 0.45). Improved health promotion self-efficacy (P < 0.001, d = 0.44) and decreased mental health were also observed (P < 0.001, d = -1.69).

DISCUSSION: COACH likely contributed to improved health-directed behaviour and health promotion self-efficacy despite the diminished mental health-related quality of life during COVID-19. Our findings also highlight the benefits of using health professional students for the delivery of virtual health promotion programs.

CLINICAL TRIAL INFORMATION: ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT04492527.

PMID:35899784 | DOI:10.1093/fampra/cmac079