Background: Falls are a significant source of morbidity in people aged 65 and over, affecting one in three people in this age group. Physical activity represents the most effective method for preventing falls among seniors. Social marketing has already shown its utility in the construction of prevention programs. Its use and evaluation in prevention programs for the elderly in particular in the field of physical activity remain, however, low. The aim of this article is to provide a systematic literature review of social marketing interventions promoting physical activity and targeting people aged 60 and over.
Methods: Articles were examined in three main databases in public health by using predefined search and inclusion criteria and following the PRISMA guidelines. Selected articles were analyzed to identify evidence of the six social marketing benchmark criteria defined by researchers in the field
Results: Fourteen articles covering six interventions were included in the final review. Of the studies selected, two specifically targeted over 60-year-olds whereas the others segmented the population into subcategories, one of which was over 60-year-olds. Five interventions highlighted positive results for the participants with an increase in participation and/or an increase in physical activity level. None of the six interventions selected for this literature review implemented the entire social marketing approach.
Conclusion: There are very few published interventions that have mobilized all stages of social marketing. Further research is required to assess if social marketing is worthwhile to increase the programs’ effectiveness on this target population.