Verification of the Effectiveness of a Communication Application in Improving Social Connectedness and Physical Health among Unacquainted Older Men: A Mixed-Methods Pilot Study

Abstract

This study aimed to verify the effectiveness of an application (app) in establishing social connectedness among unacquainted older men, as well as improving their physical health. The nine participants were men aged 65 and older in the subarctic zone of Hokkaido, Japan. A mix of quantitative and qualitative methods were adopted as the study design. A questionnaire survey was completed before and after the intervention, and a semi-structured interview was conducted after the intervention. An app-installed smartphone was loaned to the participants, which allowed them to share pictures, voice recordings, and their step count. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and the Wilcoxon signed-rank test, and qualitative data were analyzed using qualitative descriptive analysis to generate categories. The average age of the participants was 77.7 years. The relationship between participants who were interacting for the first time through the app advanced as their understanding of each other’s personalities deepened. The average step count during the third and fourth months was significantly higher than in the first two months. By using the app, older men were able to build relationships with one another. In addition, visualizing the number of steps on the app was effective in improving the number of steps.