Table 1.

Eligibility Criteria for Steps to Health

Participants were eligible to participate if they:

•   were told by a health care professional that they have some form of arthritis

•   reported at least one symptom of arthritis (joint pain, stiffness, tenderness, decreased     range of motion, redness and warmth, deformity, crackling or grating, fatigue)

•   were ≥18 years of age

•   were the only one in their household participating in the study

•   were not planning to move out of the area in the next nine months

•   were able to read and write in English

•   were not participating in another research study (unless it was an observational study     without and intervention or medication)

Participants were ineligible to participate if they:

•   endorsed an item on the PA Readiness Questionnaire (PAR-Q) 34 :

○   were told by a health care provider that they had a heart condition and should only        do exercise recommended by a doctor

○   experienced chest pain during rest or exercise

○   experienced dizziness or loss of consciousness

○   had a bone or joint problem (besides arthritis) that could be made worse by        exercise

○   knew of any other reason they should not do exercise

•   had uncontrolled hypertension (≥160/100) (participants were not excluded if they took     medication for hypertension and their blood pressure was controlled)

•   had a fall in the past year that required medical assistance

•   were pregnant, breastfeeding, or planning to become pregnant in the next year (women)

•   were diabetic and taking insulin

•   could not walk longer than 3 minutes without a rest

•   could not stand without assistance for more than 2 minutes

•   could not sit in chair without arms for more than 5 minutes

•   were already physically active (aerobic activities ≥3 days/week for ≥30 minutes/day or     strength training ≥2 days/week for ≥20 minutes/day)