The document describes a physical activity intervention program called "Step It Up" conducted with senior citizens at Concerted Services Inc. in Bulloch County, Georgia. The program aimed to increase physical activity among participants by having them track their daily steps using pedometers over 5 days. Results found that over 50% of participants improved their knowledge of physical activity benefits and non-traditional exercises. Additionally, 25% of participants met their recommended daily step goals by the end of the program. The document discusses the background, needs assessment, intervention methods, evaluation and results of the "Step It Up" physical activity program.

1. STEP IT UP
Taviel Bartley, Naima Boyd, Alexis Davenport, Amber Edwards

2. BACKGROUND
Concerted Services Inc. is located on Denmark St.
Has been in Statesboro since 1965
Also known as the Community Action Agency
Assists eligible elderly participants with meals and motivational
activities
Participants are from Statesboro, Brooklet, Portal, and
Register
They invest in lives and assist in transforming
communities
Their collaboration with GSU has been known to
benefit the senior participants

3. BACKGROUND
Physical Inactivity is used to identify people who do not get the recommended level of
regular physical activity.
The American Heart Association recommends 30-60 minutes of aerobic exercise three
to four times per week.
When older adults cannot do the recommended amounts of physical activity due to
health conditions, they should be as physically active as their abilities and
conditions allow.
Physical inactivity is more prevalent among women, blacks, hispanics and older
adults.

4. NEEDS ASSESSMENT
National Level
According to the American Heart Association, 32% of adults do not engage in leisure-
time activity within the United States (American Heart Association, 2013).
“80 % of American adults do not meet the government’s physical activity
recommendations for aerobic and muscle strengthening” (Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention, 2013).
The World Health Organization states that approximately 3.2 million deaths each year
are attributed to physical inactivity.

5. NEEDS ASSESSMENT (CONT’D)
State Level
Georgia is ranked 20th for physical inactivity which is equivalent to 23.6%.
According to the 2006 Georgia Physical Activity Surveillance Report,
approximately 3,500 Georgians die every year due to not enough physical
activity.
In 2012, 26.7 percent of Georgia’s residents over the age of 18 report doing no
physical activity or exercise.

6. NEEDS ASSESSMENT (CONT’D)
Local Level
According to the County Health Ranking, Bulloch County’s physical inactivity
is ranked 24%.
Majority of the senior citizens at Concerted Services have comorbidities and
injuries that put a limitation on their physical activity level.
Older adults experience chronic disorders and disabilities that will continue
to increase throughout generations to come.

7. NEEDS ASSESSMENT (CONT’D)
Concerted Services Inc.
Anna Goodson is our community partner and Mary Phillips is the county coordinator.
Approximately 33 senior citizens between the ages of 65 to 77 attend Concerted Services
Inc. on a daily basis or come 2 to 3 times a week.
Must be able to ambulate somewhat on their own in order to qualify for this program
Some of them have hypertension and diabetes
Major issue was the need to start and maintain their overall physical activity level.

8. MISSION STATEMENT, GOALS, AND
OBJECTIVES

9. FRAMEWORK: HEALTH BELIEF MODEL
Developed to better predict and explain health
behaviors.
Our aim is to focus on a health behavior (physical
activity) that is determined by personal beliefs or
perceptions.
We used this model because it helps explain the
likelihood of an individual engaging in PA, based on the
perceived threats brought on by physical inactivity and
the individual’s conclusion that the potential benefits
could outweigh the risks.

10. FRAMEWORK (CONT’D)
Perceived Susceptibility: how they will perceive the risk; if they don’t participate
in physical activity, then they are more susceptible to various chronic illnesses.
Perceived severity: how serious the behavior might be
Participants will be able to learn about the seriousness of what PA can do to
the body if they do not try to participate in PA.
Barriers: Bored, fear of injury, lack of motivation, medical problems (surgery)
Benefits: helps with stress, prevent or delay disease

11. FRAMEWORK (CONT’D)
Self-efficacy: For a behavior change to be successful, an individual must
have confidence in one’s own ability to overcome barriers, and have a
strong belief that a specific action will result in a positive outcome.

12. Instrument

13. INTERVENTION
Step It Up

14. 5 min
Introduction
10 mins
Distributed informed
consent to
participants.
15 mins
PowerPoint Handout
5 mins
Answered any
questions
15 mins
Walked with
Pedometers for 10
minutes

15. METHODS
Participants were asked to wear a pedometer every day for 5 days to track the
number of steps they took.
The goal was for each participant to reach their personal daily step goal.
A self-report log sheet was given to the participants to record their step count
at the end of their day at Concerted Services Inc.
Throughout the program there were daily check-ins with staff to help record
daily step counts.

16. EVALUATION
Participants had a log sheet to self-report their daily step
count that was recorded by Alex Smith and Anna
Goodson.
A self- report survey was given to the participants to test
their knowledge of the benefits of physical activity and
non-traditional exercises.

17. Demographics

18. RESULTS
Objective 1:
By the end of the program, 50% of the
program participants will be able to
correctly answer four out of five true
and false questions pertaining to the
benefits of physical activity.

19. RESULTS (CONT’D)
Objective 2:
By the end of the program, 50% of the
program participants will be able to
correctly answer four out of five true
and fasle questions pertaining to
non-traditional exercises.

20. RESULTS (CONT’D)
Objective 3:
By the end of the program, 25% of participants will meet their recommended
daily steps at Concerted Services Inc

21. RESULTS (CONT’D)

22. LIMITATIONS AND WEAKNESSES
Basic Literacy skills
Malfunctioning of the pedometers
Some of the participants could not walk for 10 minutes straight
Majority of participants met their daily step goals which may be due to a low
goal set by them.
Overall program participation

23. REFERENCES
City-Data. (2012). Bulloch County, Georgia (GA). Retrieved from http://www.city-data.com/county/Bulloch_County-GA.html
County Health Ranking & Roadmaps. (2015). Retrieved from
http://www.countyhealthrankings.org/app/georgia/2015/rankings/bulloch/county/outcomes/overall/snapshot
Goodson, Anna. (2015, September 16). Personal interview.
Harris, M., Flegal, K., Cowie, C., Eberhardt, M., Goldstein, D., Little, R., & ... Byrd-Holt, D. (1998). Prevalence of diabetes,
impaired fasting glucose, and impaired glucose tolerance in U.S. adults: The Third National Health and Nutrition
Examination Survey, 1988-1994. Diabetes Care (USA), (4), 518.
King A, King D. (2010). Physical Activity for an Aging Population. Public Health Reviews. 32:401-26

24. REFERENCES
Physical Activity Guidelines Advisory Committee. Report of the Physical Activity Guidelines Advisory Committee, 2008.
Washington (DC): U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Recommendation for Adults from the American College of Sports Medicine and the American Heart Association. Medicine &
Science In Sports & Exercise. 39(8), 1423-1434.
Suburban Stats. (2014). Retrieved October 4, 2015 from http://suburbanstats.org/populatio/goergia/how-many-people-live-in-
bulloch-county
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Physical activity and health: a report of the Surgeon General. Atlanta (GA):
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
King, A. C. (2001). Interventions to Promote Physical Activity by Older Adults. Retrieved April 24, 2016, from
http://biomedgerontology.oxfordjournals.org/content/56/suppl_2/36.full#sec-6

25. THANK YOU!
ANY
QUESTIONS?