KIM: Keep It Movin’: A Church-Based Intervention to Improve Physical Function
Principal Investigators: Elizabeth Lynch and Steven Rothschild
Persons with multiple chronic conditions experience increased risk of disability, reduced quality of life, increased hospitalizations, and death. For over a decade, Rush researchers and churches in the Chicago region have collaborated through the Alive Faith Network. Health screenings with church members and the community on Chicago’s west side have demonstrated high rates of lower extremity physical function limitations, especially among those with chronic illness. Since physical activity offers an effective approach to reducing morbidity and mortality among persons experiencing chronic condition-associated impairments, church partners have called for the testing of physical activity interventions to address this health challenge. Therefore, Rush investigators in collaboration with the Alive Faith Network are conducting a physical activity program that community members named Keep It Movin’ (KIM).
The KIM intervention builds on the evidence-based Lifestyle Interventions and Independence for Elders (LIFE) Study, which showed that a structured physical activity program can reduce mobility disability among older adults with physical function limitations. Participants in the KIM pilot study reported significant barriers to engaging in recommended physical activity, such as pain, fear of injury, and functional limitations. Therefore, we adapted the LIFE intervention for implementation by adding functional education. We hypothesize that this augmented intervention, which enhances church members’ participation through additional social support and education by knowledgeable rehabilitation specialists, will lead to both increased physical function and increased physical activity among adults with physical function limitations due to multiple chronic conditions.