A Community-Based Medical Student Led Walking and Education Program was associated with a Reduction in Frailty Levels among Adults with Elevated Frailty

Myles William OBrien^1*Taylor M Wilson²Muhammad Cheema²Zainab Zafar²Minji Choi²Madeline Eva Shivgulam²Olga Theou²

• ¹Universite de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Canada
• ²Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada

Objectives: Frailty reflects the accumulation of health deficits that an individual develops over their lifespan. Walk with a Future Doc (WWAFD) is a medical student-led community-based education and walking program. We examine the impact of a 12-week WWAFD program on lowering frailty levels in a New Brunswick community, and if effects of the program would be specific to those with higher pre-WWAFD frailty levels. Methods: Eighty participants (age: 41-85 years; 51 females) were recruited from the YMCA in New Brunswick (Canada) via word of mouth, social media, and consulting local physicians. The inclusion criteria were broad. All community members were welcome to attend the program, but only those over age 18 and those that attended 6/12 walks were included in the study. Participants were grouped into Non-Frail (FI<0.10; n=51) and Very-Mild+ Frail (FI0.10; n=29) groups for comparison. Participants attended a student-led 1-hr/week health education and walking program and completed the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging Frailty Index (FI) questionnaire before and after the program. Results: Frailty was unchanged pre-to-post-intervention in the Non-Frail (0.053±0.030 to 0.056±0.029, p=0.475), but reduced in the Very-Mild+ Frail (0.166±0.075 to 0.153±0.066, p=0.014). Conclusions and Implications: The WWAFD program that included weekly walking and education sessions was associated with reduced frailty levels among adults with FIs 0.10. This change emphasizes the value of community-based physical activity programs and exemplifies the impact they can have on participant health outcomes.