Authors:

Abstract

Background/Objective

The European population is ageing rapidly. Ageing is often accompanied by an increased risk of age-related diseases and decline in the function of most organs. The World Health Organization (WHO) has defined healthy ageing as ‘the process of developing and maintaining functional ability that enables wellbeing in older age. Early interventions to promote healthy ageing can reduce the proportion of functional decline. Mobile health applications seem to be promising tools to help people staying healthy and active and that can prevent or delay functional decline. The growth of applications to promote healthy ageing has significantly increased in recent years. However, the effectiveness of these applications for this purpose has not been evaluated.

The EU-funded GATEKEEPER project pretends to demonstrate the real-life effects of a digital ecosystem innovative platform for personalised treatments and therapies based on early detection and risk avoidance in a large-scale pilot across eight European health references. The Basque country as deployment site will assess the effectiveness and the user experience of a digital solution that could promote healthy lifestyle habits among elderly people.

Methodology

The intervention designed is focused on providing elderly patients with a mobile health application (MAHA app) to promote healthy lifestyles that enhance independence, autonomy and improve the well-being of older people, promoting their physical, cognitive and mental activity and social participation.

From February to June 2021 the adaptation and customization of the applications will be carried out. In June 2021 the recruitment of 10.000 patients (5.000 control group and 5.000 intervention group) will begin at two Integrated Healthcare Organizations in the Basque Country. This piloting of the intervention will begin in the October 2021 and will last by the September 2022. Participants in the intervention group will be monitored during 12 months and their health status will be revised at the baseline, every 3-4 months during the follow-up, and at the end of the intervention.

Qualitative and quantitative evaluation will be performed. Quantitative data will be collected through questionnaires, information of the administrative database of Osakidetza (Basque Country Healthcare provider) and the application server at the beginning and end of the intervention, whilst qualitative data will be obtained by semi-structured interviews and focus groups at the end.

Results

This study will assess the effectiveness and user experience of a digital solution that aim to enhance active ageing among elderly people by promoting physical, cognitive and mental activity and social participation, in order to delay or reduce deterioration in health status, falls, hospitalisation, institutionalisation or dependency.