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National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion
Division of Adult and Community Health
Health Care and Aging Studies Branch
Arthritis Program
Mailstop K-51
4770 Buford Highway NE
Atlanta, GA 30341-3724
Phone: 770.488.5464
Fax: 770.488.5964
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CDC-Funded Science
Evaluation
of The Walk with Ease Program Among People with
Arthritis
Funding Number
MM-0975
Project Description
The purpose of this project is to evaluate a physical activity
program specifically developed for people with arthritis: Walk with
Ease. Physical activity is a key self-management strategy for people
with arthritis and has been linked to reduced pain, improved function,
mental health, and health-related quality of life. Despite this, only
30% of adults with arthritis meet physical activity recommendations, and
only 20% engage in recommended strengthening exercises. Walking may be
one of the most feasible activities for persons with arthritis. It is
low impact, low cost, can be done almost anywhere, and does not require
special equipment. Walk with Ease is a community-based, group
walking program offered by the Arthritis Foundation. To date, no
rigorous program evaluation has been completed that quantifies the
acceptability or disease-specific benefits of participating in the
Walk with Ease program for persons with arthritis.
Project Objectives
- to develop a standardized WWE intervention protocol;
- to develop additional materials on methods for recruitment of
leaders and participants, content for training program leaders and
measurement staff, and a detailed logistics guide for program
implementation;
- to design and implement a comprehensive evaluation of short and
long-term outcomes of the Walk with Ease program in 2 forms: a)
group-led, and b) self-directed, among adults with arthritis;
- to determine the feasibility of disseminating the Walk with Ease
program by state health department arthritis programs and local
chapters of the Arthritis Foundation in partnership with aging
services and other community sectors.
Abstracts, Publications, Presentations
Altpeter M, Callahan LF, Schoster B, Meier A, Buysse K. Applying the
RE-AIM framework to a formative evaluation of the Walk with Ease (WWE)
program for people with arthritis. 2nd International Congress on
Physical Activity and Public Health, April 13-16, 2008, Amsterdam, The
Netherlands.
Principal Investigator
Leigh Callahan PhD
University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC
Leigh_Callahan@med.unc.edu
Back to Funded Science
Page last reviewed: June 4,2008
Page last modified: June 4, 2008
Content Source: Division of
Adult and Community Health,
National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion
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