scholarly journals “There’s More to Life than Just Walking”: Older Women’s Ways of Staying Healthy and Happy

2006 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 380-391 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lynette Adamson ◽  
Glennys Parker
Keyword(s):  
Longitudinal Study ◽  
Social Interaction ◽  
Qualitative Analysis ◽  
Women's Health ◽  
Older Women ◽  
Physical Activities ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Additional Information ◽  
Australian Longitudinal Study ◽  
Wide Range

This study assessed a range of activities reported by older women in Australia. Women between 75 and 81 years of age (N= 3,955) from the older cohort of the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women’s Health responded to a request in a self-report survey for additional information concerning their health. Of these 3,955 women, 509 reported taking part in a variety of activities. Qualitative analysis of responses identified 55 coded categories of activities that were subsequently classified into four major themes: physical activities, creative pursuits, lifestyle, and social interaction. The data show that these older women are taking part in a wide range of activities.

Physical Activity in Mid-Age and Older Women: Lessons from the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women’s Health

2016 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 87-97 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wendy J. Brown ◽  
Toby Pavey
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Longitudinal Study ◽  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Women’S Health ◽  
Women's Health ◽  
Older Women ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Rapid Decline ◽  
Australian Longitudinal Study ◽  
Wide Range

The Australian Longitudinal Study on Women’s Health (ALSWH) commenced in Australia in 1996 when researchers recruited approximately 40,000 women in three birth cohorts: 1973–1978, 1946–1951, and 1921–1926. Since then participants have completed surveys on a wide range of health issues, at approximately three-year intervals. This overview describes changes in physical activity (PA) over time in the mid-age and older ALSWH cohorts, and summarizes the findings of studies published to date on the determinants of PA, and its associated health outcomes in Australian women. The ALSWH data show a significant increase in PA during mid-age, and a rapid decline in activity levels when women are in their 80s. The study has demonstrated the importance of life stages and key life events as determinants of activity, the additional benefits of vigorous activity for mid-age women, and the health benefits of ‘only walking’ for older women. ALSWH researchers have also drawn attention to the benefits of activity in terms of a wide range of physical and mental health outcomes, as well as overall vitality and well-being. The data indicate that maintaining a high level of PA throughout mid and older age will not only reduce the risk of premature death, but also significantly extend the number of years of healthy life.

The characteristics of women aged 59-64 years who consult health care practitioners for back pain from the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health (ALSWH).

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pooja Maddela ◽  
Jane Frawley ◽  
Jon Adams ◽  
David Sibbritt
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Back Pain ◽  
Longitudinal Study ◽  
Women’S Health ◽  
Women's Health ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Health Care Practitioner ◽  
Medical Specialist ◽  
Australian Longitudinal Study ◽  
Wide Range

Background: Back pain affects a substantial proportion of the adult population, and back pain sufferers tend to explore a wide range of health care options. This study investigates the use of medical and physiotherapy services by Australian women with back pain. Method: This is a sub-study of the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health (ALSWH), designed to investigate multiple factors affecting the health and well-being of women over a 20-year period. The study focuses on 1,851 women aged 59-64 years, who had indicated that they had previously sought help from a health care practitioner for back pain. Results: Half of the women (56.5%) with back pain had consulted a general practitioner (GP), 16.2% had consulted a medical specialist, and 37.3% had consulted a physiotherapist for their back pain. Women with regular or continuous back pain were more likely to consult a GP (OR=3.98), medical specialist (OR=5.66) and a physiotherapist (OR=1.63). Conclusion:  Australian women with back pain were more likely to consult a GP, medical specialist or physiotherapist if they had more regular/continuous back pain. Future research needs to investigate further the consultation and referral patterns identified in this study.

34. PATTERNS OF CONTRACEPTIVE USE AFTER REPRODUCTIVE EVENTS: FINDINGS FROM THE AUSTRALIAN LONGITUDINAL STUDY OF WOMEN'S HEALTH

Sexual Health ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 297
Author(s):  
J. C. Lucke ◽  
M. Spallek
Keyword(s):  
Longitudinal Study ◽  
Women’S Health ◽  
Women's Health ◽  
Life Events ◽  
Contraceptive Use ◽  
Pap Test ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Reproductive Age ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Australian Longitudinal Study

This paper examines changes in young women's contraceptive use over nine years in relation to a range of reproductive life events using longitudinal data from the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health (ALSWH). Little previous research has examined changes in young women's contraceptive use after significant reproductive or health life events. Some research has examined the reasons that women might discontinue contraceptive use in general and there has been some work investigating contraceptive use after the birth of a child and after the termination of a pregnancy. However other events may also cause a woman to re-evaluate her contraception, for example, the diagnosis of an STD, or having an abnormal pap test. The Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health is a broad-ranging project which examines relationships between many biological, physiological, social and lifestyle factors and women's physical health, emotional well-being, and use of and satisfaction with health services. Women were selected from the Medicare database which includes all citizens and permanent residents using stratified random sampling, with systematic over-sampling of women from rural and remote areas. This paper presents data from 6716 women who completed a self-report survey in 1996 when they were aged 18-23, and again in 1999, 2002 and 2005. Multinomial analysis is used to explore patterns of contraceptive use before and after events related to pregnancy and birth (pregnancy, live birth, miscarriage and termination of pregnancy) and health (diagnosis with a sexually-transmitted infection and abnormal Pap test) and the factors associated with changes in contraceptive use. The ALSWH provides an exciting opportunity to examine patterns of contraceptive use over time among women of reproductive age.

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