Barriers and Facilitators for the Romanian Older Adults in Enjoying Physical Activity Health-Related Benefits

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (22) ◽  
pp. 12511
Author(s):  
Constanta Urzeala ◽  
Veronica Popescu ◽  
Daniel Courteix ◽  
Georgeta Mitrache ◽  
Mihaela Roco ◽  
...  

Older adults are considered a vulnerable category within the population, which is exposed to an accelerated risk of functional degeneration. The purpose of this study was to explore different facilitating factors and possible existing barriers to being physically active in older age in urban areas of Romania. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 172 participants who were asked to assess their health, on a scale from 1 to 3, and to fill out two questionnaires: 1. Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly; 2. Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale. Participants were also asked to specify to what extent they performed different leisure activities during the last week. SPSS was used for data analysis. The chi-squared test, t-test, ANOVA, and MANOVA emphasised the differences between participants, at p < 0.05. Regarding health condition, 27.3% of participants responded that their health was good, 53.5%—satisfactory, and 19.2%—not so good. The results showed significant differences between older adults participating in Elderly Clubs and non-participants, only in terms of PASE leisure. There were significant multivariate effects of the variables Gender and Stable life partner regarding PASE leisure. Weak negative correlations were identified between leisure physical activities and emotional state. Among the proposed leisure activities, watching TV and listening to music represented the most frequent preferences of the participants. The older adults participating in this study preferred to become involved with different physical activities, in conjunction with their habits, health, age, sex, stable life partner, and Elderly Club participation.

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
M Nishigaki ◽  
C Koga ◽  
M Hanazato ◽  
K Kondo

Abstract Introduction Older adult's depression is a public health problem. In recent years, exposure to local greenspace is beneficial to mental health via increased physical activity in people. However, few studies approach the relationship between greenspace and depression while simultaneously considering the frequency, time, and the number of types of physical activity, and large-scale surveys targeting the older adults. Methods Cross-sectional data conducted in 2016 by the Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study was used. The analysis included older adults aged 65 and over who did not require care or assistance, and a total of 126,878 people in 881 School districts. The explanatory variable is the percentage of the greenspace of the area, and the greenspace data used is data created from satellite photographs acquired by observation satellites of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency. The objective variable was depression (Geriatric Depression Scale 5 points or more). The analysis method was a multi-level logistic regression analysis. Physical activity was the number of sports-related hobbies, the frequency of participation in sports meetings, and walking time in daily life. Other factors such as personal attributes, population density of residential areas, and local climate were also considered. Results Depression in the survey was 20.4%. The abundance of greenspace was still associated with depression, considering all physical activity. The odds ratio of depression in areas with more greenspace was 0.92 (95% CI 0.87 - 0.98) compared to areas with less greenspace. Conclusions It became clear that areas with many greenspace were still associated with low depression, even considering the frequency, time and number of physical activities. It is conceivable that the healing effect of seeing greenspace, the reduction of air pollution and noise, etc. are related to the lack of depression without going through physical activity. Key messages In Japan, older adults are less depressed when there are many local greenspace. It became clear that areas with many greenspace were still associated with low depression, even considering physical activities.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mezna A. AlMarzooqi

Background: Social media became an integral part of the lives of people because it encourages social relations and shares interests, activities, and real-life connections. As quarantine and lockdown orders are prolonged, many people, as well as those physically active individuals, typically responded to this stressful condition by using social media platforms.Objective: This study aimed to examine the level of physical activity of physically active individuals and their attitudes toward social media use during the COVID-19 pandemic.Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional survey was conducted among physically active individuals in Saudi Arabia between June 2020 and July 2020. An online survey was employed among eligible participants who completed a self-administered questionnaire that covered reasons for physical activity and attitudes toward social media platforms during the COVID-19 pandemic.Results: Of these 323 participants, 29.1% were in the age group of 18–24 years, 66.6% were women, and 67.8% were single. The proportion of participants whose metabolic equivalent of tasks-min/week from vigorous activity &lt;1,680 was 31.9%, and all of the participants follow people or pages in social media related to sports teams and fitness models. The average number of hours spent on social media per day was 2.95 ± 0.90 h. The majority of the participants showed positive attitudes toward social media used for exercise and physical activity. Of the eight variables, age, level of physical activity, and the average of hours spent on social media emerged as significant predictors of attitudes toward the use of social media (P &lt; 0.05).Conclusions: The present survey results indicate adverse consequences of home quarantine as reflected by a small proportion of participants who had differences in levels of vigorous activities during the COVID-19 pandemic in Saudi Arabia. Social media appears to be a key avenue to promote and disseminate health interventions to promote physical activity during this COVID-19 pandemic.


2018 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 114-120 ◽  
Author(s):  
Koren L. Fisher ◽  
Elizabeth L. Harrison ◽  
Brenda G. Bruner ◽  
Joshua A. Lawson ◽  
Bruce A. Reeder ◽  
...  

The purpose of this study was to explore cross-sectional relationships between self-reported physical activity (PA) and personal, social, and environmental factors in community-dwelling adults aged 50 years and older. Accounting for clustering by neighborhood, generalized estimating equations were used to examine associations between selected correlates and the Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly (PASE) score while adjusting for confounders. Data for 601 participants were analyzed: 79% female, 37% married, mean age 76.8 (± 8.7) years, mean PASE score 112.6 (± 64.8). Age, living in seniors’ housing, using nursing/home care services, receiving encouragement to be active, and having benches available in the neighborhood were inversely associated with PASE. Self-efficacy, SF-12 score, PA barriers, social support, and the presence of trails showed positive associations. Several personal, social, and environmental factors associated with PA were identified. The inverse association between PA and living in seniors’ housing units should be considered when developing PA programs for older adults.


Rheumatology ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 53 (suppl_1) ◽  
pp. i71-i71
Author(s):  
Robert Smith ◽  
Emma Healey ◽  
Gretl McHugh ◽  
Ebenezer Afolabi ◽  
Krysia Dziedzic

2012 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 259-265 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jair Sindra Virtuoso Júnior ◽  
Sheilla Tribess ◽  
Thais Reis Silva De Paulo ◽  
Cristiane Alves Martins ◽  
Vicente Romo-Perez

To analyze the time spent on physical activity in female and male individuals as a predictor of the absence of functional disability in older adults, a cross-sectional study was conducted with 624 individuals. Receiver Operating Characteristic curves (ROC) were constructed and compared to areas of physical activity by gender and the absence of functional disability. We identified cutoffs of physical activity (minutes / week) to predict the absence of functional disability (CI 95%). It was found that there is a higher area under the ROC curve for the time spent on physical activities in females. It was observed that 280 minutes / week (women) or 410 minutes / week (men) were the best cutoff points for predicting the absence of functional disability. Time spent on physical activity practices can serve as an important indicator to sort priority groups for certain interventions.


2020 ◽  
Vol 48 (9) ◽  
pp. 030006052095689
Author(s):  
Saad M. Bindawas ◽  
Vishal Vennu ◽  
Ayidh M. Alqarni ◽  
Tariq A. Abdulrahman

Objective To assess physical performance (PP) and physical activity (PA) among older adults visiting primary healthcare centres (PHCCs) in Riyadh. Methods In this cross-sectional study, men and women (n = 74) aged ≥60 years were recruited from five PHCCs across Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, between 19 February and 6 August 2017. The Timed Up & Go test was used to assess PP. Self-reported PA was assessed using the Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly. Means and standard deviations were used to describe PP and PA scores across genders. A two-tailed independent samples t-test was used to estimate mean differences (MD) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) between genders. Results Men scored significantly lower than women on PP (MD: 2.11, 95% CI: 0.59 to 3.64) and PA (MD: −46.1, 95% CI: −80.96 to −11.25). Significant gender differences were observed for leisure time activities (MD: 17.35, 95% CI: 3.29 to 31.40), light household activities (MD: –10.86, 95% CI: –16.19 to –5.53) and heavy household activities (MD: –6.48, 95% CI: –11.73 to –1.23). Conclusions Men show significantly lower PP and PA than women. There are gender differences in leisure time activities and in light and heavy household activities.


2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S292-S292
Author(s):  
Rie Suzuki ◽  
Jennifer Blackwood ◽  
Shailee Shah ◽  
Sabah Ganai ◽  
Kimberly Warden

Abstract The built environment is commonly cited as a facilitator to local walking. Although health promotion programs targeting physical activity are available, few studies have investigated the associations of the perceived neighborhoods with the incidence of falls in the minority communities. Hence, the purpose of this preliminary study was to understand whether the perceived built environment influenced the fall experiences in older adults living in the underserved community. The preliminary cross-sectional survey was conducted at the regional health clinic in Flint, MI. Descriptive statistics and analysis of variance (ANOVA) were performed using SAS v8.4. The eligibility criteria included over 65 years old and Flint residents. Of 132 participants, the mean age was 69.75 (SD=5.00). The majority were female (68%), African Americans (80%), single, divorced or widowed (80%), and &gt; GED (84%). The ANOVAs supported that “had fallen in the past year” was associated with “stores are within easy walking distance,” “easy to walk to a transit stop” and “there is a dirt strip that separates the streets from the sidewalks.” The fall experience was more likely to associate with the sedentary lifestyle and the comorbidities such as diabetes, fatigues, muscle spasms, and chronic pain. To summarize, the built environment increased the incidence of falls in the past year. Those who had fallen had poor health conditions. Further studies are needed for older adults to engage in physical activity. It is essential to develop the age-friendly support systems and accommodations to local walking in this community.


2019 ◽  
Vol 42 (2) ◽  
pp. 239-246 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiao Li ◽  
Le Cai ◽  
Wen-long Cui ◽  
Xu-ming Wang ◽  
Hui-fang Li ◽  
...  

Abstract Background This study estimates the prevalence of five chronic non-communicable disease (NCDs) (hypertension, diabetes, CHD, COPD and stroke) and its multimorbidity, and examines the relationship between SES and lifestyle factors and multimorbidity among older adults in rural southwest China. Methods A cross-sectional survey of 4833 consenting adults aged ≥60 years was conducted in 2017. Data on the demographics, smoking, drinking, height, weight, blood pressure and fasting blood glucose were collected. Results Among the participants, the overall prevalence of hypertension, diabetes, stroke, COPD and CHD was 50.6, 10.2, 6.4, 5.4 and 5.5%, respectively, and of multimorbidity was 16.1%. Females had a higher prevalence of hypertension, diabetes and multimorbidity of chronic NCDs, but a lower prevalence of COPD than males (P &lt; 0.05). Older adults with good household assets and access to medical services were less likely to experience multimorbidity, whereas obese and centrally obese participants, current smokers, current drinkers and those with a family history of chronic NCDs had a greater probability of multimorbidity. Conclusions The findings suggest that effective strategies for prevention and control of chronic NCDs and its multimorbidity are urgently needed, especially for low-income, elderly, ethnic minority adults with poor access to medical services.


2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Roohollah Farhadloo ◽  
Sarallah Shojaei ◽  
Hamid Torabian ◽  
Mostafa Vahedian ◽  
Masoumeh Zakerimoghadam ◽  
...  

Background: Improving lifestyle, increasing lifespan and life expectancy have led to the phenomenon of aging in societies. The increasing population of older adults is one of the most important economic, social, and health challenges in the current century. Objectives: This study was conducted to measure the mental health of older adults in Qom City and its relationship with socioeconomic factors. Methods: This is a cross-sectional descriptive-analytical study on 400 older adults over 60 years in the urban areas of Qom in 2018. A multi-stage sampling method was used for this study. The research tools were a demographic questionnaire, the Kessler Psychological Distress scale (K6), and a standard psychological well-being scale. Data were analyzed by Stata 12 software using the t-test. The significance level was considered less than 0.05. Results: Considering the mental health status, based on the K6, 55% of the elderly showed signs of low depression anxiety, 34% moderate, and 11% showed severe anxiety symptoms. Regarding the status of well-being, 49.50% were in good condition (11.3 ± 3.3), 27.75% were in moderate condition (13.8 ± 2.9), and 22.75% were in poor condition (7.3 ± 2.6). Anxiety and depression had significant relationships with gender, having an illness, marital status, having a caregiver, and income. Conclusions: The results showed that about half of the elderly in Qom had moderate anxiety and depression disorders, as well as moderate mental well-being, which indicates the moderate level of anxiety and mental disorders in the elderly in Qom.


2019 ◽  
Vol 37 (31_suppl) ◽  
pp. 78-78
Author(s):  
Desiree Rachel Azizoddin ◽  
Andrea Catherine Enzinger ◽  
Alexi A. Wright ◽  
Miryam Yusufov ◽  
Fangxin Hong ◽  
...  

78 Background: Cancer patients are increasingly using medical marijuana (MM) to manage symptoms and treatment side effects. Although cancer disproportionately affects the elderly, little is known about oncologists’ attitudes toward MM in this population. We surveyed US oncologists’ beliefs about the benefits of MM for older adults, and examined their associations with oncologists’ perceptions of MM efficacy and safety. Methods: 232 out of 400 randomly selected U.S. oncologists (63% response rate) completed a cross-sectional survey about their beliefs and recommendations regarding MM for cancer patients. Using Chi-square tests, we examined associations between oncologists’ demographics, their perceptions of geriatric MM use, as well as beliefs about comparative effectiveness of MM for cancer related symptoms, and comparative risks of MM to prescription opioids. Results: Among 232 oncologists included in this cohort, 109 (47.0%) reported that MM had at least some benefit for elderly cancer patients, 66 (28.4%) responded it was rarely or never beneficial, and 57 (24.6%) reported not knowing. There were no significant associations between oncologists’ beliefs about MM’s benefit for older adults and their sociodemographic characteristics. Those who believed MM was beneficial for the elderly were significantly more likely to report that MM was at least as effective as standard treatments for the following indications: coping (58.3% vs. 26.6%), appetite (83.3% vs 58.5%), depression (46.3% vs 25.0%), and nausea (66.7% vs 33.9%), respectively ( p < 0.001). In contrast, oncologists’ beliefs about MM for the elderly were not significantly associated with perceptions of the comparative risks of MM ( p > 0.05). Conclusions: In this nationally-representative sample of US oncologists, about half thought MM was beneficial for older adults with cancer. Oncologists’ support of MM for older adults was associated with perceptions of MM’s efficacy but was not associated with perceptions of MM’s risks. More research is needed regarding the safety and efficacy of MM to guide oncologists’ recommendations about its use in older adults.


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