The HOME Study: Assessing the Impact of Health Dialogues on Aging Populations

Lisa Alvunger

Keywords: Health dialogues, quality of life, preventive healthcare, aging population, frailty

Background:

The global aging population is increasing, with those aged 80 and above projected to grow significantly by 2040. This study, under the acronym HOME (Healthy Older People through Movement and Engagement), will explore the short- and long-term effects of structured health dialogues on the health and quality of life of older adults. These dialogues, facilitated by primary care nurses, aim to empower individuals to reflect on their health, identify risk factors, and create personalized health plans to promote healthy aging.

Research questions:

• How does the intervention affect participants’ quality of life compared to controls?
• How do function, activity, and healthcare utilization change in the groups?
• Is the health dialogue intervention cost-effective?
• Is the effect of the intervention related to individuals’ estimated risk profiles?

Method:

This will be a randomized controlled intervention study with 500–1000 participants aged 67–84 from Borgholm Municipality, Sweden. Participants will be randomized into intervention and control groups, with a matched control group from adjacent regions serving as a broader population comparison.
The intervention will include a one-hour structured health dialogue conducted by a trained nurse, covering physical, mental, and social health aspects. A follow-up phone call will occur 3–4 months later to review progress. Outcomes will include EQ5D-5L and ICECAP-O quality-of-life measures, healthcare utilization, frailty, and cost-effectiveness. Quantitative analyses will utilize tools such as the Adjusted Clinical Groups and Charlson Comorbidity Index.

Results:

The study will assess whether structured health dialogues reduce hospitalizations and improve life satisfaction among older adults, contributing to resource-efficient healthcare and healthy aging strategies.

Conclusions:

This study will evaluate the potential of structured health dialogues as a preventive healthcare approach, offering insights into their role in supporting healthy aging and addressing health inequalities.

Points for discussion:

• How feasible is it to implement health dialogues across different healthcare systems, and what adaptations might be needed?

• Should health dialogues be directed to one or several risk groups or to the general population?

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