Comparison between the effects of virtual supervision and minimal supervision in a 12‐week home‐based physical exercise program on mental health and quality of life of older adults: Secondary analysis from a randomized clinical trial

Abstract

AimThe objective of this study was to compare the effects of virtual supervision and minimal supervision in a 12‐week home‐based physical exercise program on the mental health and quality of life of community‐dwelling older adults.MethodsThis study presents a secondary analysis of a randomized clinical trial conducted during the COVID‐19 pandemic. The sample comprised 38 elderly men and women (81.6% women, mean age 68 ± 6.4 years; mean weight 69.8 ± 12.1 km) without physical and/or cognitive impairments. The volunteers were divided into two groups: one group received virtual supervision (monitored via videoconference), while the other group received minimal supervision (monitored through weekly text messages). Both groups followed the same home‐based physical exercise program, consisting of three sessions per week, differing only in the supervision strategy. Mental health was assessed using the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS‐21) in conjunction with the POMS questionnaire, which evaluates mood, and quality of life was assessed using the WHOQOL‐OLD questionnaire.ResultsOur findings demonstrated statistically significant superiority of virtual supervision compared with minimal supervision in relation to depression (−2.92, 95% confidence interval = −5.22 to −0.63). Conversely, minimal supervision exhibited superiority over virtual supervision regarding quality of life (−6.70, 95% confidence interval = −11.66 to −1.73).ConclusionsVirtual supervision yielded better outcomes for the depression indicator, while minimal supervision favored the quality of life of older adults at the conclusion of the 12‐week home‐based physical exercise program. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2023; 23: 864–870.