Abstract
This study examines dropout incidence, moment of dropout, and switching behavior in organized exercise programs for seniors in the Netherlands, as determined in a prospective cohort study (with baseline measurements at the start of the exercise program and follow-up after 6 months; N = 1,725, response rate 73%). Participants were community-living individuals 50+ who participated in different forms of organized exercise programs. The average dropout incidence was 0.15 per 6 months, which is lower than that for the general population. The dropout incidence and the timing of dropout differed substantially between the exercise programs. In total, 31% of people who dropped out of one type of exercise program switched to another type of exercise. The type of program and exercise had a strong effect on differences in this switching behavior. It is recommended that switching behavior be monitored in future studies.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 406-21 |
| Number of pages | 16 |
| Journal | Journal of aging and physical activity |
| Volume | 13 |
| Issue number | 4 |
| Publication status | Published - Oct 2005 |
Keywords
- Age Factors
- Aged
- Attitude to Health
- Exercise Therapy/statistics & numerical data
- Female
- Follow-Up Studies
- Health Behavior
- Humans
- Incidence
- Male
- Middle Aged
- Netherlands/epidemiology
- Patient Dropouts/psychology
- Prospective Studies