scholarly journals Health and recreational motional activity of elderly people in different countries of the world

Author(s):  
L.V. Balatska ◽  
A.V. Hakman ◽  
L.I. Timchuk ◽  
I.Yu. Nakonechnу

The article considers and collects material from both international research and domestic sources that reflect the health and recreational physical activity of the elderly in Europe and the whole world as well as the motives for involvement in this age group. The results of the analysis of the questionnaire, which assessed the involvement of the elderly showed low health and recreational physical activity in different countries, ranging from 10 to 80%, and the activity of men is higher than women. About 40% of the population of the Netherlands and Germany are engaged in physical activity, and as for Belgium, France, Sweden, the indicator is less than 20%. In Spain, Finland, Canada, and the United Kingdom, government programs implemented in 13 pilot regions of the country over four years indicated a threefold increase in the number of seniors who regularly attend group exercise classes. In the United States, the population that is systematically engaged in physical activity is dominated by the population of Euros and Latinos, but African Americans are less active - up to 6%. In African countries physical activity is being decreased among the adult population. The main reasons for that include lack of knowledge of citizens about classes, poor promotion of programs among the population. The survey of the Chinese population on regular exercise during the week of the elderly in the range of 60-69 years showed 11.8%. According to research in Ukraine, only 17% of people of retirement age go in for exercise or sports

2021 ◽  
pp. 114-123
Author(s):  
Mark Robert Rank ◽  
Lawrence M. Eppard ◽  
Heather E. Bullock

Chapter 15 provides an analysis of the effectiveness of social welfare programs in reducing poverty. Comparing pretransfer with post-transfer rates of poverty across a range of OECD countries demonstrates that poverty can be substantially reduced. The myth that government programs do not work in addressing poverty is simply incorrect. A number of European countries are able to cut their rates of poverty by up to 80 percent as a result of robust social policies aimed at reducing poverty and inequality. In the United States, the Social Security and Medicare programs have been particularly effective in reducing the poverty rate among the elderly population.


Vaccines ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 358
Author(s):  
Giovanna Elisa Calabrò ◽  
Alessia Tognetto ◽  
Elettra Carini ◽  
Silvia Mancinelli ◽  
Laura Sarnari ◽  
...  

The World Health Organization (WHO), the United States (US) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the European Center for Disease Control (ECDC), and the immunization guidelines of many countries issue vaccination recommendations for adults and the elderly. However, the uptake of vaccination in these groups is generally low due to several reasons. The present study aimed to identify strategies implemented in Italy in unconventional settings to promote vaccination against influenza, pneumococcal, and herpes zoster virus (HZV) infections among these subjects, i.e., the at-risk adult population and the elderly. We conducted a literature review and a survey of experts. The literature search yielded seven strategies; all of these concerned influenza vaccination, while three also addressed pneumococcal and HZV vaccination. The survey of experts identified 15 strategies; 10 regarded influenza vaccination, while four regarded pneumococcal vaccination and one regarded HZV vaccination. Most of the strategies were implemented in hospital clinics and rest homes. Regarding influenza and pneumococcal vaccinations, the target population mainly comprised at-risk adults, while the elderly represented the main target population for HZV vaccination. Our results show that, in Italy, there are initiatives aimed at promoting vaccination in unconventional settings, but further efforts are required to assess their effectiveness and to further extend them.


2019 ◽  
pp. 115-127 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lena Barrera ◽  
Fernando Gómez ◽  
Delia Ortega ◽  
Jairo Corhuelo ◽  
Fabián Méndez

Introduction: High blood pressure (HBP) is the main cardiovascular risk factor, it is more prevalent in the older adult population, and the prevalence can vary between ethnic groups. Objective: To estimate the prevalence of HBP, knowledge, treatment and control in population aged ≥60 years, resident in Colombia, according to their ethnic condition. Methods: Population sample selected by multistage sampling. Ethnicity was defined based on skin color. HBP was defined as systolic blood pressure ≥140, and/or diastolic blood pressure ≥90 mm Hg, and/or the participants’ self-report. Controlled HBP at a blood pressure value <140/90, knowledge and treatment were identified by self-report. Results: 23,694 adults aged ≥ 60 years were included, of which 54.5%, 34.5% and 10.9% were respectively identified as having light, medium or dark skin color; 54.5% were women, and 78.1% resided in urban areas. The standardized prevalence of HBP, by age, was 57.7% (95% CI: 55.2 - 60.2); 51.4% (95% CI: 47.3-55. 5), in men; and 62.9% (60.9- 64.9), in women. The standardized prevalence for light, medium and dark skin in men was 53.2% (95% CI: 48.7-57.7), 49.6% (44.5-54.7), and 49.4% (95% CI: 41.0-57.8) respectively; and in women was 62.5% (95% CI: 60.5-64 , 5), 61.7% (95% CI: 57.8- 65.6), and 69.9% (95% CI: 63.6-76.2) respectively. 98% of the population received treatment, and 93.9% were aware of HBP diagnosis. 42.5% of men and 55.5% of women with HBP were under control. Only 21.8% performed regular physical activity. Conclusion: Half of the adult population aged over 60 years suffers from HBP; the prevalence is higher in women particularly in dark-skinned women. It is necessary to develop policies to increase physical activity in the elderly.


Author(s):  
P. R. Mullen

Starting in the 1980s, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom faced serious economic problems, such as economies dominated by government spending and high budget deficits. Further, government studies in the four countries found that government organizations lacked accountability for achieving program results and that there were many constraints to increasing such accountability. In response to these problems, each of the countries embarked on comprehensive reforms intended to increase the accountability of the civil service for the effective and efficient management of government programs. In exchange for increased accountability for results, the countries provided program managers with more flexibility in their use of resources. The studies and subsequent reforms in these four countries proposed results-oriented management reforms that were subsequently adopted in the United States (U.S.). The approaches these countries took to implement results-oriented management reforms included departments and agencies establishing and communicating a clear direction by defining their missions and goals through strategic planning, establishing annual objectives that were directly linked to missions and goals, measuring performance to assess how well objectives were being met, and reporting on progress. The countries derived a number of key lessons from their experiences in developing performance measurement systems. These lessons focused on enhancing the usefulness of performance information to management for improving program results. The countries sought to reinforce this focus on results by holding agency management accountable for the results that agencies were trying to achieve. For example, the countries used performance agreements between different levels of management to ensure accountability for achieving agreed-upon performance goals. Cunningham and Harris (2005) discuss how performance reporting has been implemented in Canada, the United Kingdom, and three states in the United States. This article discusses how performance-reporting requirements in the U.S. are intended to promote a results-oriented management and decision-making process within Congress and the executive branch, as well as accountability to the American public, specifically for digital government programs.


Author(s):  
M. E. Chen ◽  
C. K. Davis

The U.S. government is making strides to provide electronic access to government agencies and services. A variety of issues are involved when implementing e-government programs such as electronic tax filing, access to drug information, and so forth. Financial, technical, personnel, and legal issues are common. Privacy issues in the creation of e-government are also of interest to both the e-government implementer and citizen. There are a variety of issues in planning and implementing projects of the scope and magnitude of e-government. Issues such as user requirements, organizational change, government regulations, and politics, as well as descriptions of planning and implementation frameworks, are important. Experience in developed countries shows that it is not difficult for people to imagine a situation where all interaction can be done 24 hours each day, 7 days each week. Many countries, including the United States, France, Australia, Greece, Canada, Singapore, and Italy have been offering government services online (West, 2004). According to Sharma and Gupta (2003), Canada, Singapore, and the United States are categorized as “innovative leaders” (p. 34) whose continued leadership in the creation of e-government and more mature online services sets them apart from other countries. Canada leads the way in e-government innovation while Singapore, the United States, Australia, Denmark, the United Kingdom, Finland, Germany, and Ireland are countries in the top-10 list. Several Asian countries such as China, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, Bangladesh, and Burma have initiated the concept of e-government as well (Dodgson, 2001). An article in Federal Computer Week (Perera, 2004) reported findings of a recent poll indicating that 77% of Internet users (or some 97 million people) in the United States have gone online for government information. E-government is rapidly becoming a key priority of the government of the United States.


2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhi-jian Wu ◽  
Yanliqing Song ◽  
Hou-lei Wang ◽  
Fan Zhang ◽  
Fang-hui Li ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Urbanization and aging are global phenomena that offer unique challenges in different countries. A supportive environment plays an important role in addressing the issues of health behavioral change and health promotion (e.g., prevent chronic illnesses, promote mental health) among older adults. With the development of the socio-ecological theoretical model, studies on the impact of supportive environments on physical activity have become popular in the public health field in the EU and US. Meanwhile, very few Chinese studies have examined the relationship between built environment features and older adults’ physical activity at the ecological level. The purpose of the study is to investigate how the factors part of the built environment of Nanjing’s communities also influence leisure time physical activity among the elderly. Methods Using a socio-ecological model as a theoretical framework, we conducted a cross-sectional study of 399 elderly people from 19 communities in Nanjing, China, using a one-on-one questionnaire to collect data, including participants’ perceived built environment and self-reported physical activity. A multivariate linear regression method was used to analyze the factors influencing their recreational physical activity. Results This study found that compared to older people with low average monthly income, the recreational physical activity of the elderly with average monthly incomes between 1001 and 2000 ¥ (β = 23.31, p < 0.001) and 2001 ¥ or more (β = 21.15, p < 0.001) are significantly higher. After controlling for individual covariates, street connectivity (β = 7.34, p = 0.030) and street pavement slope (β = − 7.72, p = 0.020), we found that two out of ten built environment factors indicators influence their physical activity. The importance of each influencing factor ranked from highest to lowest are monthly average income, street pavement slope, and street connectivity. Other factors were not significantly related to recreational physical activity by the elderly. Conclusions Older adults with a high income were more likely to participate in recreational physical activity than those with a low income. In order to positively impact physical activity in older adults and ultimately improve health, policymakers and urban planners need to ensure that street connectivity and street pavement slope are factored into the design and development of the urban environment.


1950 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 322-323

During the month of November 1949 the International Monetary Fund sold $22.5 million to Brazil, and the government of Costa Rica repurchased $1.25 million. The Fund concurred in a change proposed by the United Kingdom government in the par value of the British Honduras dollar effective December 31, 1949. In terms of gold and in terms of the United States dollar of the weight and fineness in effect on July 1, 1944, the parities for the British Honduras dollar were: 0.622 grams of fine gold per British Honduras dollar and 1.429 British Honduras dollars per United States dollar.


2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 403-404
Author(s):  
Yeonjung (Jane) Lee ◽  
Tyran Terada

Abstract The Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander (NHOPI) older adult population remains understudied and are disproportionately affected by diabetes and heart conditions. Research has shown that participating in physical activity is a protective factor for many of the health conditions experienced by older adults. Yet, the link between physical activity, diabetes, and heart conditions among the NHOPI older adult population is limited. The purpose of this study is to identify the characteristics of NHOPI older adults and to explore the association between physical activity levels and diabetes/heart conditions. Methods and findings Using data from the 2014 Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander National Health Interview Survey (NHPI NHIS), which is considered to have a representative sample of NHOPI, the study explores the associations between physical activity and diabetes/heart conditions. A total of 1,045 older adults ages 50 years and older were included for analyses. Weighted multivariate analyses with multiple imputation techniques were used. The NHPI NHIS is the first federal survey focusing on the NHOPI population of the United States with rich information on health. Results and Implications Those with who were engaged in a sufficient physical activity had lower odds of having diabetes or heart conditions than their counterparts without physical activity while controlling for other sociodemographic characteristics. Findings highlight the importance of physical activity promotion intervention in preventing cardiovascular disease. Research and practice addressing health disparities and cardiovascular conditions should leverage efforts to provide culturally relevant physical activity types and resources to NHOPI older adults.


Author(s):  
S. Duditska ◽  
A. Hakman ◽  
A. Medvid

The research examines the problem of the impact of health and recreational physical activity on the body of the elderly by means of fitness. It is established that regular physical activity, clearly dosed and carefully selected by means, methods and interests, increases the level of efficiency, motor training, morphofunctional state of the elderly. The purpose of the study - based on the analysis of scientific and methodological literature to substantiate the theoretical and methodological support of health and recreational motor activity and to identify its impact on the body of the elderly. Research methods: theoretical analysis of special scientific and methodical literature, documentary materials, abstraction, logical-theoretical analysis, method of synthesis, method of systematization. Results. It is determined that physical activity is the first factor of longevity, prolongation of life expectancy. Health and recreational motor activity improve well-being, delay the aging of the body due to organized activities, improve the functional and psychophysiological state of the body. During the scientific research the peculiarities of the influence of health and recreational physical activity on the body of the elderly were singled out. The positive effect of dosed classes of health and recreational motor activity can be traced to all the main functions of the aging organism. The main tasks of using the means of health and recreational physical activity in old age are identified. In the course of the research, the basic rules that should be followed during health fitness training with the elderly are highlighted.


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