Older adults’ experiences with mHealth for fall prevention exercise : usability and promotion of behavior change strategies

Background: With the rapidly growing aging population, older adults need to stay healthy andactive for a longer time. Mobile health (mHealth) solutions could help support, prevent, or delayfunctional decline and falls in old age. Purpose: The aim was to explore older persons’ experiences of a mobile application for fallprevention exercise, and to identify what possible behavior change techniques to include in thefurther development of the application. Methods: Two focus groups were conducted with 12 older adults (seven women and five men) 70to 83 years of age. A qualitative content analysis was performed. Results: Two main results emerged: 1) external facilitators for using the application; and 2)internal facilitators for using the application and perceived gains, in addition 10 behavior changetechniques were identified. Conclusion: With support, an application could be adapted for older adults to manage, motivate,and adhere to fall prevention exercise. To achieve long-term adherence to health behaviorchanges, behavior change strategies and techniques are recommended to be included in furtherdevelopment of the fallprevention application