Lee Sunwoo, Cyma-Wejchenig Magdalena, Alcan Veysel, Morais Ana, Langeard Antoine, Attoh-Mensah Elpidio, Epiphaniou Eleni, Mack Melanie, Gözüm Sebahat, Ilgaz Aysegul, Gasimov Zaur, Pavlova Iuliia, Stemplewski Rafał, Brach Michael
Faculty of Physical Culture, Palacký University Olomouc, Třída Míru 117, Olomouc, 771 11, Czech Republic.
Department of Digital Technologies in Physical Activity, Poznań University of Physical Education, Poznań, 61-871, Poland.
BMC Med Res Methodol. 2025 Sep 1;25(1):207. doi: 10.1186/s12874-025-02659-2.
Despite substantial evidence supporting the benefits of physical activity (PA) for older adults, participation rates remain low due to physical, psychological, social, and institutional barriers. Recruiting older adults for PA studies thus presents significant challenges, particularly for socially vulnerable populations and those facing digital literacy limitations in technology-assisted PA interventions. The present study aimed to articulate and establish a consensus among multidisciplinary and multinational PA experts regarding key considerations and requirements for designing and implementing recruitment of older adults for PA studies.
This study employed a mixed-methods consensus approach integrating a structured formal consensus process with a two-round Delphi survey. Through face-to-face and online discussions, an expert panel group formulated 104 initial recommendations regarding the recruitment of older adults for PA studies. In the first Delphi round, 42 external experts assessed the relevance of each recommendation, and recommendations with a ≥ 70% agreement threshold were considered consensual. The second round included 60 refined recommendations that were evaluated by 31 experts. A final consensus was reached through iterative expert panel discussions.
Of the 104 initial recommendations, 52 (50%) met the inclusion threshold during the first round. In the second round of Delphi, 36 of the 60 revised recommendations (60%) achieved consensus, with agreement ranging from 71.0 to 96.8%. The final consensus process established 34 key recommendations categorized into four domains: (1) ethical principles (71.7-93.5%), (2) informed consent (71.0-96.8%), (3) stakeholder engagement (61.3-83.9%), and (4) recruitment strategies for technology-assisted PA interventions (74.2-87.1%). However, there remains a lack of consensus on the extent to which sociocultural diversity and differences in sample representation should be addressed.
This study provides expert-driven, consensus-based recommendations to improve the recruitment of older adults for PA studies. Adherence to ethical considerations, informed consent procedures, stakeholder collaboration, and tailored strategies for technology-assisted interventions were highlighted. These findings offer practical guidance for researchers and practitioners in planning and obtaining adequate participation in PA studies involving older adults.
尽管有大量证据支持体育活动（PA）对老年人有益，但由于身体、心理、社会和制度障碍，参与率仍然很低。因此，招募老年人参与PA研究面临重大挑战，特别是对于社会弱势群体以及那些在技术辅助PA干预中面临数字素养限制的人群。本研究旨在阐明并在多学科和跨国PA专家之间就设计和实施招募老年人参与PA研究的关键考虑因素和要求达成共识。
本研究采用混合方法的共识方法，将结构化的正式共识过程与两轮德尔菲调查相结合。通过面对面和在线讨论，一个专家小组就招募老年人参与PA研究制定了104条初步建议。在第一轮德尔菲调查中，42名外部专家评估了每条建议的相关性，达成共识阈值≥70%的建议被视为达成共识。第二轮包括由31名专家评估的60条细化建议。通过专家小组的反复讨论达成了最终共识。
在104条初步建议中，52条（50%）在第一轮达到纳入阈值。在第二轮德尔菲调查中，60条修订建议中的36条（60%）达成共识，共识率在71.0%至96.8%之间。最终的共识过程确定了34条关键建议，分为四个领域：（1）伦理原则（71.7% - 93.5%），（2）知情同意（71.0% - 96.8%），（3）利益相关者参与（61.3% - 83.9%），以及（4）技术辅助PA干预的招募策略（74.2% - 87.1%）。然而，在应在何种程度上解决社会文化多样性和样本代表性差异方面仍缺乏共识。
本研究提供了由专家驱动、基于共识的建议，以改善招募老年人参与PA研究的工作。强调了遵守伦理考量、知情同意程序、利益相关者合作以及技术辅助干预的定制策略。这些发现为研究人员和从业者在规划和获得足够的老年人参与PA研究方面提供了实用指导。
