Health PromotionNCT04603430
The Impact of the STEPS Program: A Qualitative Study
An observational study of Health Promotion, run by Utica College at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
The STEPS program is a wellness program where senior citizens are partnered with Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) students, who design individualized fitness plans for each senior participant. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Any age
- Conditions the study is for
- Health Promotion
- What is being tested?
- Participation in a community wellness program
- How many people
- 35 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- 22 Jun 2020to 30 Nov 2021
- Phase
- Observational
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages Any age
- All sexes
- Child, Adult, Older adult
Study population: Participated in the STEPS program during the 2018-2019 academic year as either a senior participant or a physical therapy student from the Class of 2020.
Who may be able to join
- Participated in the STEPS program during the 2018-2019 academic year as either a senior participant or a physical therapy student from the Class of 2020.
Who cannot join
- Did no participate in the STEPS program during the 2018-2019 academic year as either a senior participant or a physical therapy student from the Class of 2020.
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
About this study
The STEPS program is a wellness program where senior citizens are partnered with Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) students, who design individualized fitness plans for each senior participant. In both the Spring and Fall semesters, first- and second year DPT student teams provide guided interventions based upon the fitness goals and initial examination findings of each participant. Program sessions are held once a week for one hour at a local senior wellness center located in Utica, NY. Facility membership requirements include a small annual membership fee and stipulate that members must be 55 years of age or older. The STEPS participants are recruited primarily by word of mouth.
The aim of the STEPS program is to provide an accessible fitness service to improve the health of the Utica community while also supplementing the clinical experiences of students enrolled in the DPT program at Utica College. The program gives students an opportunity to practice clinical skills and reasoning on a weekly basis, and establishes a mentorship component between students. Second-year students are enrolled in a clinical education course for both the Fall (DPT 689) and Spring semesters (DPT 699). Examination and interventions are documented on the WebPT electronic medical record system. Participant reassessments are conducted twice, halfway through the semester and again at the end of the program.
Read more
PURPOSE OF STUDY Clinics and health programs facilitated by students allow clinical experiences to be interwoven throughout the curriculum and provide students with the opportunity to learn and serve in their community. Research regarding these programs has primarily centered around pro-bono clinics run by medical students, and has been limited to the impact these programs have upon learning. No research has been conducted regarding how a local senior wellness program, such as the STEPS program, impacts senior fitness and DPT student engagement. This study will assess the effect that the STEPS program has upon the health of local seniors, while also qualitatively investigating the impact that the program has had upon the lives of local seniors and students.
In order to answer these research questions, a retrospective chart review will be conducted to evaluate the functional outcomes of participating seniors. Additionally, qualitative focus groups will be convened to reflect upon the impact that the STEPS program has had upon the seniors and students.
Read the detailed description
STUDY DESIGN A mixed-method study design will be used to assess functional outcomes of the Students Teaching Elderly Prevention and Safety (STEPS) program on senior participants, as well as the impact of the program on both participants and students. In order to assess functional outcomes, a retrospective chart review will be conducted on a convenience sample of participants enrolled in the STEPS program from September 2018 to April 2019.
In order to explore participant and student perspectives of the STEPS program, a Glaserian grounded theory approach will be utilized. Grounded theory is a qualitative research methodology commonly employed in healthcare research due to its inductive, systematic process of gathering and interpreting data. Data gleaned from focus groups is continuously analyzed for patterns, from which a thematic consensus emerges. Semi -structured interview questions will be proposed to focus groups of students and senior participants who were involved in the STEPS program during the study time frame. Prior to starting the focus group discussion, subjects will be given a demographic survey to complete.
DEMOGRAPHIC SURVEYS Demographic information will be collected from senior participants and students via a written survey filled out prior to the focus group session.
INTERVIEW QUESTIONS Questions will be pilot tested with a purposive sample of eligible STEPS participants and students. Questions will be used to direct the focus groups, however, focus group discussion will be not restricted to these topics, as the Glaserian grounded theory approach allows for focus group members to guide the discussion process. Depending on feedback gained from pilot focus group sessions, questions may be modified.
PILOT INTERVIEWS In order to assess the construct validity of proposed focus group questions, prospective questions will be pilot tested with a group of seniors and students who participated in the STEPS program prior to the 2018-2019 academic year. Focus groups of pilot testers will be conducted in a manner similar to their respective demographic cohort. Focus groups of student pilot testers will be convened over a private virtual chat platform. Focus groups of senior pilot testers will be convened in a private virtual chat room. Each pilot sessions will last for fort-five to sixty-minutes, and will end when saturation is achieved. One or two researchers will facilitate the focus groups and another researcher will observe the session.
STEPS PARTICIPANT INTERVIEWS In order to assess the impact that the STEPS program has upon seniors, focus groups of 4 to 6 subjects will be convened for forty-five to sixty-minute-long sessions in a private virtual chat room. Sessions will end when saturation is met, meaning that no new insights are being revealed by focus group members. One or two researchers will facilitate the focus groups and another researcher will observe the focus group and take field notes. All researchers will receive training regarding proctoring focus groups. Focus groups will be conducted between June 2020 and November 2020 and will be audio-taped and later transcribed by the researchers. After transcription is complete, transcripts will be reviewed by research participants to confirm that transcription and initial interpretation objectively captured participant insights.
STUDENT INTERVIEWS In order to assess the impact that the STEPS program has upon students, focus groups of 4 to 6 subjects will be convened for forty-five to sixty-minute-long sessions in a private virtual chat platform. Sessions will end when saturation is met, meaning that no new insights are being revealed by focus group members. One or two researchers will facilitate the focus groups and another researcher will observe the focus group and take field notes. The focus group facilitators have had no prior relationship with student participants. No-one else, aside from focus group members and researchers, will be present during the sessions. Focus groups will be conducted between June 2020 and November 2020 and will be audio-taped and later transcribed by the researchers. After transcription is complete, transcripts will be reviewed by research participants to confirm that transcription and initial interpretation objectively captured participant insights.
- Conditions
- Health Promotion
- Being tested
- Participation in a community wellness program
- Keywords
- physical therapy students, health promotion, seniors, learning
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Participation in a community wellness programOther
Participation in the STEPS program, a physical therapy student-run community wellness program for local seniors.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Physical Therapy Students | Students will be participating in a focus group and completing a survey. Receives: Other: Participation in a community wellness program | |
| Senior STEPS Participants | Seniors will be participating in a focus group, completing a survey, and researchers will be conducting a retrospective chart review on relevant documented health outcomes of the STEPS program. Receives: Other: Participation in a community wellness program |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Psychosocial impact of the STEPS program on seniors and students
Using qualitative data collected from focus groups to determine how the program impacted physical therapy students and seniors.
Measured: 1 year
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted26 Oct 2020
- Study start22 Jun 2020
- Primary completion30 Nov 2021
- Study completion30 Nov 2021
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Health PromotionStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Observational
- Observational model
- Cohort
- Time perspective
- Other
- Enrolment
- 35 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Utica College
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Gabriele Moriello, Utica College
- Investigators
- Gabriele Moriello, PT, PhD, Study director, Utica College
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT04603430
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 827
- Status last verified
- Nov 2022
- First submitted
- 16 Jun 2020
- Last updated
- 21 Nov 2022
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 21 Nov 2022. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- The Impact of the STEPS Program: A Qualitative Study
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT04603430
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- 827
- Conditions
- Health Promotion
- Keywords
- physical therapy students, health promotion, seniors, learning
- Study type
- Observational
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 35 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Utica CollegeUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 22 Jun 2020 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 30 Nov 2021 (actual)
- Study completion
- 30 Nov 2021 (actual)
- First posted
- 26 Oct 2020 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
The STEPS program is a wellness program where senior citizens are partnered with Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) students, who design individualized fitness plans for each senior participant. In both the Spring and Fall semesters, first- and second year DPT student teams provide guided interventions based upon the fitness goals and initial examination findings of each participant. Program sessions are held once a week for one hour at a local senior wellness center located in Utica, NY. Facility membership requirements include a small annual membership fee and stipulate that members must be 55 years of age or older. The STEPS participants are recruited primarily by word of mouth.
The aim of the STEPS program is to provide an accessible fitness service to improve the health of the Utica community while also supplementing the clinical experiences of students enrolled in the DPT program at Utica College. The program gives students an opportunity to practice clinical skills and reasoning on a weekly basis, and establishes a mentorship component between students. Second-year students are enrolled in a clinical education course for both the Fall (DPT 689) and Spring semesters (DPT 699). Examination and interventions are documented on the WebPT electronic medical record system. Participant reassessments are conducted twice, halfway through the semester and again at the end of the program.
PURPOSE OF STUDY Clinics and health programs facilitated by students allow clinical experiences to be interwoven throughout the curriculum and provide students with the opportunity to learn and serve in their community. Research regarding these programs has primarily centered around pro-bono clinics run by medical students, and has been limited to the impact these programs have upon learning. No research has been conducted regarding how a local senior wellness program, such as the STEPS program, impacts senior fitness and DPT student engagement. This study will assess the effect that the STEPS program has upon the health of local seniors, while also qualitatively investigating the impact that the program has had upon the lives of local seniors and students.
In order to answer these research questions, a retrospective chart review will be conducted to evaluate the functional outcomes of participating seniors. Additionally, qualitative focus groups will be convened to reflect upon the impact that the STEPS program has had upon the seniors and students.
Detailed description
STUDY DESIGN A mixed-method study design will be used to assess functional outcomes of the Students Teaching Elderly Prevention and Safety (STEPS) program on senior participants, as well as the impact of the program on both participants and students. In order to assess functional outcomes, a retrospective chart review will be conducted on a convenience sample of participants enrolled in the STEPS program from September 2018 to April 2019.
In order to explore participant and student perspectives of the STEPS program, a Glaserian grounded theory approach will be utilized. Grounded theory is a qualitative research methodology commonly employed in healthcare research due to its inductive, systematic process of gathering and interpreting data. Data gleaned from focus groups is continuously analyzed for patterns, from which a thematic consensus emerges. Semi -structured interview questions will be proposed to focus groups of students and senior participants who were involved in the STEPS program during the study time frame. Prior to starting the focus group discussion, subjects will be given a demographic survey to complete.
DEMOGRAPHIC SURVEYS Demographic information will be collected from senior participants and students via a written survey filled out prior to the focus group session.
INTERVIEW QUESTIONS Questions will be pilot tested with a purposive sample of eligible STEPS participants and students. Questions will be used to direct the focus groups, however, focus group discussion will be not restricted to these topics, as the Glaserian grounded theory approach allows for focus group members to guide the discussion process. Depending on feedback gained from pilot focus group sessions, questions may be modified.
PILOT INTERVIEWS In order to assess the construct validity of proposed focus group questions, prospective questions will be pilot tested with a group of seniors and students who participated in the STEPS program prior to the 2018-2019 academic year. Focus groups of pilot testers will be conducted in a manner similar to their respective demographic cohort. Focus groups of student pilot testers will be convened over a private virtual chat platform. Focus groups of senior pilot testers will be convened in a private virtual chat room. Each pilot sessions will last for fort-five to sixty-minutes, and will end when saturation is achieved. One or two researchers will facilitate the focus groups and another researcher will observe the session.
STEPS PARTICIPANT INTERVIEWS In order to assess the impact that the STEPS program has upon seniors, focus groups of 4 to 6 subjects will be convened for forty-five to sixty-minute-long sessions in a private virtual chat room. Sessions will end when saturation is met, meaning that no new insights are being revealed by focus group members. One or two researchers will facilitate the focus groups and another researcher will observe the focus group and take field notes. All researchers will receive training regarding proctoring focus groups. Focus groups will be conducted between June 2020 and November 2020 and will be audio-taped and later transcribed by the researchers. After transcription is complete, transcripts will be reviewed by research participants to confirm that transcription and initial interpretation objectively captured participant insights.
STUDENT INTERVIEWS In order to assess the impact that the STEPS program has upon students, focus groups of 4 to 6 subjects will be convened for forty-five to sixty-minute-long sessions in a private virtual chat platform. Sessions will end when saturation is met, meaning that no new insights are being revealed by focus group members. One or two researchers will facilitate the focus groups and another researcher will observe the focus group and take field notes. The focus group facilitators have had no prior relationship with student participants. No-one else, aside from focus group members and researchers, will be present during the sessions. Focus groups will be conducted between June 2020 and November 2020 and will be audio-taped and later transcribed by the researchers. After transcription is complete, transcripts will be reviewed by research participants to confirm that transcription and initial interpretation objectively captured participant insights.
Study design
- Observational model
- Cohort
- Time perspective
- Other
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Physical Therapy Students | – | Other: Participation in a community wellness programStudents will be participating in a focus group and completing a survey. |
| Senior STEPS Participants | – | Other: Participation in a community wellness programSeniors will be participating in a focus group, completing a survey, and researchers will be conducting a retrospective chart review on relevant documented health outcomes of the STEPS program. |
Who may qualify
- Sex
- All
- Age groups
- Child, Adult, Older adult
- Study population
- Participated in the STEPS program during the 2018-2019 academic year as either a senior participant or a physical therapy student from the Class of 2020.
Key inclusion criteria (1 listed)
- Participated in the STEPS program during the 2018-2019 academic year as either a senior participant or a physical therapy student from the Class of 2020.
Key exclusion criteria (1 listed)
- Did no participate in the STEPS program during the 2018-2019 academic year as either a senior participant or a physical therapy student from the Class of 2020.
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Participation in a community wellness programParticipation in the STEPS program, a physical therapy student-run community wellness program for local seniors. | Other | Physical Therapy Students, Senior STEPS Participants |
Primary outcome
Psychosocial impact of the STEPS program on seniors and students
Time frame: 1 year
Using qualitative data collected from focus groups to determine how the program impacted physical therapy students and seniors.
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 21 Nov 2022.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
Related trials for Health Promotion
Active, not recruiting
ProSalud in Latinos Living in Rural/Agricultural Communities Within Moffitt's Catchment Area
Cancer
Active, not recruiting
The PRIME-CRC Trial to Promote CRC Screening in Rural Communities
Colorectal Cancer
Not yet recruiting
Contingency Management to Promote Smoking Cessation Study
Smoking Cessation
Active, not recruiting
Motivational Interviewing Intervention for Families With Overweight and Obesity
Obesity & Overweight
Not yet recruiting
Leveraging Families to Promote Healthy Socio-Emotional Development in Children
Child Development, Parents
Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
Gabriele Moriello, PT, PhD study director
Utica College
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
An observational study of Health Promotion, run by Utica College at 1 site in United States.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 1 inclusion and 1 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 21 Nov 2022. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Psychosocial impact of the STEPS program on seniors and students (time frame: 1 year). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 21 Nov 2022.