Resistance strategy to ageism-based frailty in Italian older women in the COVID-19 pandemic

The objective of the present study was to examine the relationship between resistance to ageism-based frailty (A-BF) and physical activity (PA) and sport in a cohort of women, aged 65 and older, living in Central Italy. The study was conducted in the spring of 2021 when rigorous COVID-19 containment...

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Main Authors: Ivana Matteucci, Alessandro Porrovecchio
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2022-01-01
Series:PLOS Global Public Health
Online Access:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10021209/?tool=EBI
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author Ivana Matteucci
Alessandro Porrovecchio
author_facet Ivana Matteucci
Alessandro Porrovecchio
author_sort Ivana Matteucci
collection DOAJ
description The objective of the present study was to examine the relationship between resistance to ageism-based frailty (A-BF) and physical activity (PA) and sport in a cohort of women, aged 65 and older, living in Central Italy. The study was conducted in the spring of 2021 when rigorous COVID-19 containment measures were in force across Italy. A quanti-qualitative investigation was carried out in the cohort. A questionnaire to evaluate older women’s engagement in (PA) and sport was administered and subsequently semi-structured phone interviews with those subjects who were found to be physically active were conducted to evaluate their forms of resistance to the crisis. A total number of 88 subjects responded and participated in the survey. Two tools were used to determine the study outcomes in the quantitative investigation. An altered version of Godin and Shephard’s Leisure-Time Exercise Questionnaire (GSLTPAQ) was used to evaluate the engagement of women in PA and sport. Moreover, subjects’ motivation to exercise was evaluated when they completed the survey using the Behavioral Regulation in Exercise Questionnaire (BREQ-2), a tool that assesses exercise regulation according to the Self-Determination Theory (SDT) framework. The active women resulting from the quantitative investigation were then interviewed in the qualitative investigation, using an interview grid. In the quantitative investigation it was found that PA is correlated with autonomy. Identified and intrinsic regulations prevail in women who are engaged in medium or high PA, vice-versa external regulation, introjected regulation and amotivation prevail in women who are engaged in insufficient PA or who are sedentary. In the qualitative investigation it was found that the participants experienced ambivalence, conflicts and crises at multiple levels (individual, interpersonal and institutional), generating contrasting feelings, which they faced by developing an active, peaceful and silent form of resistance by caring for their bodies and minds engaging in PA and sport.
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spelling doaj.art-441067877b594b89a3319acf6350d7df2023-09-03T14:34:48ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLOS Global Public Health2767-33752022-01-0129Resistance strategy to ageism-based frailty in Italian older women in the COVID-19 pandemicIvana MatteucciAlessandro PorrovecchioThe objective of the present study was to examine the relationship between resistance to ageism-based frailty (A-BF) and physical activity (PA) and sport in a cohort of women, aged 65 and older, living in Central Italy. The study was conducted in the spring of 2021 when rigorous COVID-19 containment measures were in force across Italy. A quanti-qualitative investigation was carried out in the cohort. A questionnaire to evaluate older women’s engagement in (PA) and sport was administered and subsequently semi-structured phone interviews with those subjects who were found to be physically active were conducted to evaluate their forms of resistance to the crisis. A total number of 88 subjects responded and participated in the survey. Two tools were used to determine the study outcomes in the quantitative investigation. An altered version of Godin and Shephard’s Leisure-Time Exercise Questionnaire (GSLTPAQ) was used to evaluate the engagement of women in PA and sport. Moreover, subjects’ motivation to exercise was evaluated when they completed the survey using the Behavioral Regulation in Exercise Questionnaire (BREQ-2), a tool that assesses exercise regulation according to the Self-Determination Theory (SDT) framework. The active women resulting from the quantitative investigation were then interviewed in the qualitative investigation, using an interview grid. In the quantitative investigation it was found that PA is correlated with autonomy. Identified and intrinsic regulations prevail in women who are engaged in medium or high PA, vice-versa external regulation, introjected regulation and amotivation prevail in women who are engaged in insufficient PA or who are sedentary. In the qualitative investigation it was found that the participants experienced ambivalence, conflicts and crises at multiple levels (individual, interpersonal and institutional), generating contrasting feelings, which they faced by developing an active, peaceful and silent form of resistance by caring for their bodies and minds engaging in PA and sport.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10021209/?tool=EBI
spellingShingle Ivana Matteucci
Alessandro Porrovecchio
Resistance strategy to ageism-based frailty in Italian older women in the COVID-19 pandemic
PLOS Global Public Health
title Resistance strategy to ageism-based frailty in Italian older women in the COVID-19 pandemic
title_full Resistance strategy to ageism-based frailty in Italian older women in the COVID-19 pandemic
title_fullStr Resistance strategy to ageism-based frailty in Italian older women in the COVID-19 pandemic
title_full_unstemmed Resistance strategy to ageism-based frailty in Italian older women in the COVID-19 pandemic
title_short Resistance strategy to ageism-based frailty in Italian older women in the COVID-19 pandemic
title_sort resistance strategy to ageism based frailty in italian older women in the covid 19 pandemic
url https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10021209/?tool=EBI
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