The Impact of Digital Coaching Intervention for Improving Healthy Ageing Dimensions among Older Adults during Their Transition from Work to Retirement

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

Research gaps are inadequately discussed. It would be better if you could indicate clearly.

A

Author Response

Response: Thank you for underlines this lack. We improved this section 4.2 Strengths and limitationsmaccording to this important comment.

Reviewer 2 Report

I have to thank the authors for their very good manuscript. It is a really good idea. However, a few comments are provided below:

In the view of human capital approach, good health is an investment to work productively. It is better to provide explanations about the effects of illness on absenteeism in the introduction. For this purpose, you can refer to the following article:

The lost productivity cost of absenteeism due to COVID-19 in health care workers in Iran: a case study in the hospitals of Mashhad University of Medical Sciences

Also, the potential health problems faced by the elderly and its costs should be mentioned. you can refer to the following article:

A Systematic Review of Potentially Inappropriate Medications Use and Related Costs Among the Elderly

Although the methodology is well explained, the structuring of the methodology needs to be modified. Before anything else, explain the type and design of the study, study setting and population.

How old is the retirement age in the research community?

Explain about the sample size and sampling method.

Answer this question on this sheet:

How do you measure the effectiveness of the intervention? Have you had a control group?

According to the follow-up of the samples, it seems that the attrition bias has affected the results. Clearly explain about it.

Explain in detail the purpose of performing the quantitative and qualitative steps. Also, the description of the qualitative method is incomplete.

In general, the methods should be modified in a step-by-step and structured manner.

In the discussion, comprehensively compare all findings with previous studies.

Author Response

Please see the attachment.

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 3 Report

This is an interesting study on an important topic. There is a lack of reliable and feasible interventions on the effect of digital coaching on health, especially among elderly people. The transition period from work to retirement could be seen as an opportunity for changes in habits for the life in retirement and the preventive and promotional aspect are important. A mixed- methods design is a relevant approach for this very practical project.  The quantitative and qualitative methods chosen are appropriate measures for this study. The results from the qualitative part gives a lot of suggestions for future studies. The usability scale (SUS) gives also very important suggestions for further studies of the use of technologies. The intervention tools are also very nicely presented in text and in a supplement.

I have some comments, which could improve the manuscript.

When talking about age and aging, it would be good to write out the exact age and/ or use same appropriate words for that. Now the authors use young seniors, elderlies, older etc. 

What professions do the participators have or had? Could be important for the interpretation of results?

What is the statuary and real retirement age in Italy and the Netherlands?

Figure 4 (Study design) is far too small and could be split into two figures, with larger fonts etc (should be readable also for aging people:).

Check and write always out number of people when given percentages, because of the small sample (e.g. Table 4).

Gender and age- no consent for participants in the Netherlands? Why? Interesting because the study concern age.

Kettunen et al twice in the list of references.

Author Response

Please see the attachment.

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Round 2

Reviewer 2 Report

All corrections are well done