Implementation of the SENEX mobile application as a strategy for functional evaluation in older adults
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47197/retos.v78.118241Keywords:
Aged, mobile applications, exercise, healthy aging, functional status, (DeCS/MeSH)Abstract
Introduction: Exercise is considered a non-pharmacological strategy for the health of older adults, with positive effects on the functionality of this population. Functional assessment has emerged as a tool for designing physical exercise programs aimed at healthy aging. The SENEX app was developed to facilitate functional assessment using the Senior Fitness Test battery, allowing for a diagnosis of the functionality of older adults.
Objective: To evaluate the usability of the SENEX mobile application as a tool within the Senior Fitness Test battery for functional assessment in older adults.
Methodology: The System Usability Scale was used to evaluate the usability of the application. It was completed by 38 experts, and 122 older adults concluded the Senior Fitness Test. The information was scored using the established criteria for the 10 questions and classified on the System Usability Scale. The Senior Fitness Test data were evaluated by comparing them with percentiles in reference tables. The information was processed using descriptive and correlational statistics.
Results: The application's usability was evaluated positively, presenting a possibility for improvement in future versions. The current version facilitates individual assessment and the establishment of group functional profiles.
Conclusions: The use of the SENEX application for recording and processing functional data in older adults facilitates the immediate acquisition of results and their use in developing physical exercise programs for this population.
References
Bae, E., Moon, A., Baek, S., Kim, J. H., & Jang, S. (2025). Cost-Effectiveness of a Mobile Health Program for Pre-elderly Adults. Journal of medical systems, 49(1), 165. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10916-025-02291-z
Bangor, A., Kortum, P., & Miller, J. (2009). Determining what individual SUS scores mean: Adding an adjective rating scale. Journal of Usability Studies, 4(3), 114–123. https://uxpajournal.org/determining-what-individual-sus-scores-mean-adding-an-adjective-rating-scale
Barrientos, A., Caldevilla, D., & García, E. (2017). App para la tercera edad: utilidad, clases y valor social. Revista de Ciencias de la Comunicación e Información, 22, (2), 1-11. https://doi.org/10.35742/rcci.2017.22(2).1-11
Belmonte, S., González, A. M., de María, J., Montoro, C.I. (2021). Impacto del ejercicio físico en variables relacionadas con el bienestar emocional y funcional en adultos mayores. Revista española de geriatría y gerontología, 56 (3), 136-143. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.regg.2021.01.006
Chamorro, A. (2020). Functioning profile of patients with cerebrovascular disease sequels cared at a third level hospital in Popayan 2016-2018. Ciencia e Innovación en Salud., e96: 368-382. https://revistas.unisimon.edu.co/index.php/innovacionsalud/article/view/4055
Charrad, M., Ghazzali, N., Boiteau, V., & Niknafs, A. (2014). NbClust: An R Package for Determining the Relevant Number of Clusters in a Data Set. Journal of Statistical Software, 61(6), 1–36. https://doi.org/10.18637/jss.v061.i06
Cruzat, E., & Tauda, M. (2025). Actividad física y envejecimiento saludable: revisión sistemática de evi-dencia en cohortes prospectivas. Retos, 74, 63-85. https://doi.org/10.47197/retos.v74.117489
Curcio, C. L., Giraldo, A. F., & Gómez, F. (2020). The healthy aging phenotype in older people in Maniza-les. Biomédica: revista del Instituto Nacional de Salud, 40(1), 102–116. https://doi.org/10.7705/biomedica.4799
Duque, L. M., Ornelas, M., Benavides, E. V. (2020). Actividad física y su relación con el envejecimiento y la capacidad funcional: una revisión de la literatura de investigación. Revista Psicología y Salud, 30(1), 45-57. https://doi.org/10.25009/pys.v30i1.2617
Esteves, A. R., Pari, G. L., Chique, J., Calcina, C. R., Abarca, D. S., Incacutipa, D. J., & Cervantes, S. L. (2025). Deterioro cognitivo y actividad física en el adulto mayor en una población peruana: ¿El ejerci-cio es factor protector? Retos, 70, 1368-1378. https://doi.org/10.47197/retos.v70.116134
Fernández, J. A., Farfán, D. C., & Hoyos Cuartas, L. A. (2025). Condición física funcional, riesgo de sarco-penia, fuerza prensil y deterioro cognitivo en mujeres mayores físicamente activas. Retos, 73, 1199-1219. https://doi.org/10.47197/retos.v73.117099
Ferrer, P., Serra, N., Garnacho, M. V., Faundez, M., Serra, M., Palomera, E., & Girabent, M. (2025). Desa-rrollo y validación del cuestionario de actividad física para adultos de 65 años y mayores (PAQ-EA): herramienta de evaluación integral. Retos, 74, 96-108. https://doi.org/10.47197/retos.v74.116558
García, J., Pérez, M., & Rodríguez, A. (2024). eSalud para adultos mayores: un análisis de la adopción de tecnologías en la prevención y control de enfermedades. Revista Conexión, 12(2), 45–62. https://revistas.pucp.edu.pe/index.php/conexion/article/view/29518
Gaviria, J., Rojas, I. C., Gómez, M. L., & Zambrano, R. N. (2025). Impact of three exercise programs on physical fitness and coping and adaptation process in elderly adults. Retos,71, 459–469. https://doi.org/10.47197/retos.v71.114005
Gaviria, J., Zambrano, R. N., Rojas, I. C., & Gómez, M. L. (2025). Ejercicio físico y envejecimiento saluda-ble; impacto sobre el bienestar general y la aptitud física en adultos mayores. Retos, 65, 445–457. https://doi.org/10.47197/retos.v65.104232
Gomez, M., Ferre, X., Moral, C., Villalba, E. (2023). Design Guidelines of Mobile Apps for Older Adults: Systematic Review and Thematic Analysis. JMIR Mhealth Uhealth, 11: e43186. http://dx.doi.org/10.2196/43186
Gutiérrez, B. (2022). La evolución del concepto de envejecimiento y vejez ¿Por fin hablaremos de salud en vejez en el siglo XXI?. Salutem Scientia Spiritus, 8(4), 14-22. http://revistas.javerianacali.edu.co/index.php/salutemscientiaspiritus/article/view/624
Hyzy, M., Bond, R. R., Mulvenna, M., Bai, L., Dix, A., Leigh, S., & Hunt, S. (2022). System Usability Scale benchmarking for digital health apps: Meta-analysis. JMIR mHealth and uHealth, 10(8), e37290. https://doi.org/10.2196/37290
Im, J., Kim, Y., Lee, H., & Park, S. (2025). Feasibility and usability of a personalized mobile exercise ap-plication for older adults with chronic conditions. JMIR mHealth and uHealth, 13, e71073. https://doi.org/10.2196/71073
Kassambara, A., & Mundt, F. (2020). factoextra: Extract and Visualize the Results of Multivariate Data Analyses. R package version 1.0.7.
Klug, B., (2017) “An Overview of the System Usability Scale in Library Website and System Usability Testing”, Weave: Journal of Library User Experience 1(6). doi: https://doi.org/10.3998/weave.12535642.0001.602
Katz, S., Ford, A. B., Moskowitz, R. W., Jackson, B. A. y Jaffe, M. W. (1963). Studies of illness in the aged. The index of adl: a standarized, measure of biological and psychosocial function. JAMA, 185 (12), 914-919. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.1963.03060120024016
Lawton, P., Brody, E. (1969). Assessment of Older People: Self-Maintaining and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living. The Gerontologist, 9(3), 179–186. https://doi.org/10.1093/geront/9.3_Part_1.179
Lewis, J. R. (2018). The System Usability Scale: Past, Present, and Future. International Journal of Hu-man–Computer Interaction, 34(7), 577–590. https://doi.org/10.1080/10447318.2018.1455307
Miodonska, Z., Stepien, P., Badura, P., Choroba, B., Kawa, J., Derejczyk, J., & Pietka, E. (2018). Inertial data-based gait metrics correspondence to Tinetti Test and Berg Balance Scale assessments. Bi-omedical Signal Processing and Control, 44, 38–47. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bspc.2018.03.012
Opper, C. A., Browne, F. A., Howard, B. N., Zule, W. A., & Wechsberg, W. M. (2024). Assessing Differences in mHealth Usability and App Experiences Among Young African American Women: Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Controlled Trial. JMIR human factors, 11, e51518. https://doi.org/10.2196/51518
Organización Mundial de la Salud. (2000). Obesidad: prevención y gestión de la epidemia mundial: In-forme de una consulta de la OMS (Serie de informes técnicos N.º 894). Organización Mundial de la Salud. https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/42330
Organización Mundial de la Salud. (2024). Envejecimiento y salud. https://www.who.int/es/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/ageing-and-health
Paranhos, D. N., Nascimento, D. D. C., Stone, W., Alves, V. P., & Coelho Vilaça E Silva, K. H. (2022). Body composition and functional performance of older adults. Osteoporosis and sarcopenia, 8(2), 86–91. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.afos.2022.04.002
Pinilla, M. A., Ortiz, M. A., & Suárez, J. C. (2021). Adulto mayor: envejecimiento, discapacidad, cuidado y centros día. Revisión de tema. Revista Científica Salud Uninorte, 37(2), 488–505. https://doi.org/10.14482/sun.37.2.618.971
Rikli, R. E., & Jones, C. J. (2001). Senior Fitness Test Manual. Human Kinetics.
Rossi, J. P. F., & Vita, N. (2024). Hacia una mejor comprensión del envejecimiento: Aspectos médicos, económicos, sociales y éticos. Farmacéutica, 166(1–4), 35–47. https://ri.conicet.gov.ar/bitstream/handle/11336/268492/CONICET_Digital_Nro.f164c0d1-9edb-41dd-902f-0538c5d731ab_B.pdf?sequence=2&isAllowed=y
Sowa, A., Tobiasz, B., Topór, R. et al. (2016). Predictors of healthy ageing: public health policy targets. BMC Health Serv Res, 16 (5), 289. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-016-1520-5
Tacca, C., Vazquez, A., Thompson, I. M., Bincalar, A. D., Tremmel, C., Gomer, R., Warner, M., Freeman, C., & Schraefel, M. C. (2025). How Well Do Older Adult Fitness Technologies Match User Needs and Preferences? Scoping Review of 2014-2024 Literature. Journal of medical Internet research, 27, e75667. https://doi.org/10.2196/75667
Tibshirani, R., Walther, G., & Hastie, T. (2001). Estimating the number of clusters in a data set via the gap statistic. Journal of the Royal Statistical Society: Series B (Statistical Methodology), 63(2), 411-423. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-9868.00293
Zárate, AE., Gutiérrez, N.L., Rodríguez, C., Messina, M.A., Ayude, C.A., Lovazzano, G.G., et al. (2025). Valo-ración de la condición física funcional mediante el Senior Fitness Test en personas que realizan un programa de gimnasia para adultos mayores. MedUNAB, 28(1), 187-194. doi: https://doi.org/10.29375/01237047.5116
Zhang, M., Wang, W., Li, M., Sheng, H., & Zhai, Y. (2022). Efficacy of Mobile Health Applications to Im-prove Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis for Physically Inactive Individuals. International journal of environmental research and public health, 19(8), 4905. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19084905
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Herney Romero Lozano, Jhon Mauricio Medellín Cortes, Luis Carlos Garzón Bedoya, Maximiliano Quintero Reina, Jesús Andrades Grassi, Oscar Adolfo Niño Méndez
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
- Authors retain copyright and ensure the magazine the right to be the first publication of the work as licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgment of authorship of the work and the initial publication in this magazine.
- Authors can establish separate additional agreements for non-exclusive distribution of the version of the work published in the journal (eg, to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgment of its initial publication in this journal.
- Is allowed and authors are encouraged to disseminate their work electronically (eg, in institutional repositories or on their own website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as to a subpoena more Early and more of published work (See The Effect of Open Access) (in English).
This journal provides immediate open access to its content (BOAI, http://legacy.earlham.edu/~peters/fos/boaifaq.htm#openaccess) on the principle that making research freely available to the public supports a greater global exchange of knowledge. The authors may download the papers from the journal website, or will be provided with the PDF version of the article via e-mail.
