The Answer is Golf:Outreach to Men for Evidence-Based Programs

Heather Harada & John Nakaki

420 East Third Street, Suite 1000 | Los Angeles, CA 90013

213.873.5700 | www.keiro.org™ and © 2006-2016 Keiro Services.  Keiro, Genki Living, and their respective logos are trademarks of Keiro Services. 

All rights reserved.

Keiro‘s Mission:To enhance the quality of

senior life in Our Community

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Japanese-American Men’s Health

Source: California Health Interview Survey 2011-2012

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Yet, the majority of our program attendees are

women.

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How can we increase older men’s interest in

health/aging?

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Research• Health & older men– Impact of traditional masculine stereotypes3

– Reliance on wife/female relative as “health care manager”2

– Decline in social networks1

– “Tend & befriend” vs. “fight or flight”4

1. Das A. (2012). Spousal loss and health in late life: Moving beyond emotional trauma. Journal of Aging and Health, 25, 221-242.2. Seymour-Smith S., Wetherell M., Phoenix A. (2002). “My wife ordered me to come!”: A discursive analysis of doctors’ and nurses’

accounts of men’s use of general practitioners. Journal of Health Psychology, 7, 253-267.3. Springer K., Mouzon D. (2011). “Macho men” and preventive health care: Implications for older men in different social classes. Journal of

Health and Social Behavior, 52, 212-227.4. Taylor S., Klein L., Lewis B., Gruenewald T., Gurung R., Updegratt J. (2000). Biobehavioral responses to stress in females: Tend-and-

befriend, not fight-or-flight. Psychological Review, 107, 411-429.

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Research• Incentives– Participatory vs. health-contingent– Tangible vs. intangible

1. Jeffrey, S. (2010). The benefits of tangible non-monetary incentives. Incentive Research Foundation. Retrieved from http://theirf.org/research/the-benefits-of-tangible-non-monetary-incentives/205/

2. Mattke, Soeren, Kandice Kapinos, John P. Caloyeras, Erin Audrey Taylor, Benjamin Batorsky, Hangsheng Liu, Kristin R. Van Busum and Sydne Newberry. (2014)Workplace Wellness Programs: Services Offered, Participation, and Incentives. Santa Monica, CA: RAND Corporation. Retrieved from http://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RR724.html.

3. Schmidt, H., Voight, K. & Wikler, D. (2010). Carrots, sticks, and health care reform – Problems with wellness incentives. The New England Journal of Medicine, 362, e3.

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Men’s Health Survey

0.00%10.00%20.00%30.00%40.00%50.00%60.00%70.00%

What topics would you be interested in learning more about?

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What motivates (or would motivate) you to learn more about health & aging topics?

“Personal health issues.” – Male, 60-64, Thousand Oaks, CA

“Examples of what could happen if I don’t [learn].” – Male, 50-59, Torrance, CA

“My friends are dying around me, and I’m feeling awfully mortal and realize life is too short. If I plan to be around much longer, I have to take better care of my health!” – Male, 60-64, Marina Del Rey, CA

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What motivates (or would motivate) you to learn more about health & aging topics?

“Access to dependable information.” – Male, 50-59, San Bernardino, CA

“Participating with my social peers.” – Male, 60-64, La Palma, CA “Something that is

fun & different.” – Male, 60-64, Los Angeles, CA

“Watching my 92+ year-old parents grow old gracefully has challenged me to do the same.” – Male, 50-59, La Palma, CA

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Arthritis Foundation’s “Walk With Ease”

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Impact• Met or partially met their walking goal

96% of the time• 100% were very or somewhat confident

that they would continue walking• 100% committed to walking at least 1

day per week• 87.5% reported that their physical pain

level was better or slightly better

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Barriers• Laziness• Fatalistic attitude• Lack of social connectedness• Lack of programs developed & led by older men

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So What Worked?• Incorporating the program into existing

activities• Keeping it simple• Personal relationships• Incentives

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“The most important aspect of the Walk With Ease program is awareness. I didn’t walk an entire 18 holes of golf, but I walked to my ball after a shot more often than I would have – because of the awareness of how a few more steps a day will improve my health over a long period of time.”

- Lance H., age 62

www.keiro.org

™ and © 2006-2016 Keiro Services.  Keiro, Genki Living, and their respective logos are trademarks of Keiro

Services.  All rights reserved.