Promoting social capital, self-management and health literacy in older adults through a group-based intervention delivered in low-income urban areas: results of the randomized trial AEQUALIS

Sergi Blancafort Alias, Rosa Monteserín Nadal, Irene Moral, Marta Roqué Fígols, Xavier Rojano I Luque, Laura Coll-Planas, Sergi Blancafort Alias, Rosa Monteserín Nadal, Irene Moral, Marta Roqué Fígols, Xavier Rojano I Luque, Laura Coll-Planas

Abstract

Background: Evidence is scarce on how to promote health and decrease cumulative inequalities for disadvantaged older people. Downstream complex interventions focusing on intermediate factors (self-management, health literacy and social capital) may have the potential to mitigate the inequitable impacts of social determinants in health. The aim of the AEQUALIS study was to assess the effectiveness of a group-based intervention to improve self-perceived health as indicator of health inequality.

Methods: Pragmatic randomised clinical trial addressed to older adults (≥ 60 years) living in urban disadvantaged areas with low self-perceived health. The intervention was delivered in primary care settings and community assets between 2015 and 2017 and consisted in 12 weekly sessions. The primary outcome was self-perceived health assessed in two ways: with the first item of the SF-12 questionnaire, and with the EQ-5D visual analog scale. Secondary outcomes were health-related quality of life, social capital, self-management, mental health and use of health services. Outcomes were assessed at baseline, post intervention and follow-up at 9 months after the end of the intervention.

Results: 390 people were allocated to the intervention group (IG) or the control group (CG) and 194 participants and 164 were included in the data analysis, respectively. Self perceived health as primary outcome assessed with SF-12-1 was not specifically affected by the intervention, but with the EQ-5D visual analog scale showed a significant increase at one-year follow-up only in the IG (MD=4.80, 95%CI [1.09, 8.52]). IG group improved health literacy in terms of a better understanding of medical information (- 0.62 [- 1.10, - 0.13]). The mental component of SF-12 improved (3.77 [1.82, 5.73]), and depressive symptoms decreased at post-intervention (- 1.26 [- 1.90, - 0.63]), and at follow-up (- 0.95 [- 1.62, - 0.27]). The use of antidepressants increased in CG at the follow-up (1.59 [0.33, 2.86]), while it remained stable in the IG.

Conclusions: This study indicates that a group intervention with a strong social component, conducted in primary health care and community assets, shows promising effects on mental health and can be used as a strategy for health promotion among older adults in urban disadvantaged areas.

Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov , NCT02733523 . Registered 11 April 2016 - Retrospectively registered.

Keywords: Aging; Health literacy; Healthcare disparities; Primary health care; Public health; Self-management; Social capital; Social medicine.

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Flow chart of participants through each stage of randomized clinical trial
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Average predicted values for outcomes by treatment and time of assessment

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