Objective: To investigate the safety, acceptability and preliminary evidence of efficacy of a mobile health (mhealth) mediated home-based exercise program to increase physical activity in persons with Parkinson’s disease (PD) over one year.

Background: Studies reveal that persons with PD are approximately 1/3 less active compared to older adults without PD. Identifying mechanisms to increase long-term engagement to exercise in PD is essential to increase physical activity and reduce disability.

Methods: In a 12-month single blind pilot RCT, participants with PD were randomly assigned to either a home based mhealth mediated exercise program (walking and strengthening using tablet and activity tracker; ‘mhealth condition’) or to a program (walking and strengthening; standard pedometer; no tablet) administered without mhealth technology (‘active control’ condition). Safety, acceptability and adherence were examined. Change in physical activity from baseline to 12 months was measured during a 7-day assessment period using the StepWatch™ Activity Monitor (SAM). A sub-analysis was conducted in sedentary subjects only (<7500 steps per day at baseline). Clinical outcomes included changes in quality of life, walking and balance.

Results: Fifty-one subjects [55% male, mean age 64.1 (SD 9.5)] with mild to moderate PD (Hoehn & Yahr 1-3) participated. There were no serious adverse events related to the intervention. Acceptability was high in both conditions (mHealth = 8.7/10; active control = 8.4/10). Mean adherence rate exceeded 70% over the 12 month period. Although participants were more active at 12 months compared to baseline in both conditions, no significant differences were found between or within groups. For sedentary subjects (N=20), significant improvements in physical activity were observed from baseline to 12 months in the mHealth condition only. Significant differences between groups were found in the mobility domain of the PDQ-39 in favor of the mHealth condition. Significant within group differences in walking and balance were found for the mHealth condition only.

Conclusions: Both approaches to exercise were found to be safe and acceptable with high adherence over a 12-month period. Sedentary subjects seemed to benefit more from the mHealth approach. Positive trends in this pilot study suggest the need for a larger, adequately powered RCT.

« Back to 2016 International Congress

MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/the-application-of-mobile-health-technology-to-increase-physical-activity-in-persons-with-parkinsons-disease/