Associations between Physical Activity and Health-Related Quality of Life among Community-Dwelling Older Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study in Urban Greece
Physical activity is an important factor in achieving healthy aging, offering older persons multiple benefits in terms of maintaining and improving their health and wellbeing. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of physical activity on the quality of life of older adults. A cross-sec...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-06-01
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| Series: | Geriatrics |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2308-3417/8/3/61 |
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| author | Anna Psarrou Theodoula Adamakidou Paraskevi Apostolara Alexandra Koreli Marianna Drakopoulou Sotirios Plakas Dimos Mastrogiannis Alexandra Mantoudi Stelios Parissopoulos Afroditi Zartaloudi Marianna Mantzorou |
| author_facet | Anna Psarrou Theodoula Adamakidou Paraskevi Apostolara Alexandra Koreli Marianna Drakopoulou Sotirios Plakas Dimos Mastrogiannis Alexandra Mantoudi Stelios Parissopoulos Afroditi Zartaloudi Marianna Mantzorou |
| author_sort | Anna Psarrou |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Physical activity is an important factor in achieving healthy aging, offering older persons multiple benefits in terms of maintaining and improving their health and wellbeing. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of physical activity on the quality of life of older adults. A cross-sectional study was conducted from February to May 2022, using the Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) and the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). A total of 124 people aged 65 and over participated in the survey. The average age of the participants was 71.6 years, and 62.1% were women. Participants showed a moderate quality of life with regard to the physical health dimension (mean score 52.4) and a higher quality of life with regard to the mental health dimension (mean score 63.1) compared to the expected values of the population. Low levels of physical activity were recorded among older adults, reaching a rate of 83.9%. A moderate or high level of physical activity has been found to contribute to a better physical functioning (<i>p</i> = 0.03), vitality (<i>p</i> = 0.02) and general health (<i>p</i> = 0.01). Finally, comorbidity had a negative impact on physical activity (<i>p</i> = 0.03) and quality of life regarding mental and physical health in older adults. The study showed very low levels of physical activity in older Greek adults. The management of this problem, which was intensified during the COVID-19 pandemic, should be a high priority in public health programs focusing on healthy aging, as physical activity affects and promotes many of the basic aspects of quality of life. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T02:25:38Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a85b808d083b4b75af6711b3a8b17115 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2308-3417 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T02:25:38Z |
| publishDate | 2023-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Geriatrics |
| spelling | doaj.art-a85b808d083b4b75af6711b3a8b171152023-11-18T10:37:18ZengMDPI AGGeriatrics2308-34172023-06-01836110.3390/geriatrics8030061Associations between Physical Activity and Health-Related Quality of Life among Community-Dwelling Older Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study in Urban GreeceAnna Psarrou0Theodoula Adamakidou1Paraskevi Apostolara2Alexandra Koreli3Marianna Drakopoulou4Sotirios Plakas5Dimos Mastrogiannis6Alexandra Mantoudi7Stelios Parissopoulos8Afroditi Zartaloudi9Marianna Mantzorou10MSc Program in Community and Public Health Nursing, Nursing Department, School of Health and Care Sciences, University of West Attica, 12243 Athens, GreeceMSc Program in Community and Public Health Nursing, Nursing Department, School of Health and Care Sciences, University of West Attica, 12243 Athens, GreeceMSc Program in Community and Public Health Nursing, Nursing Department, School of Health and Care Sciences, University of West Attica, 12243 Athens, GreeceMSc Program in Community and Public Health Nursing, Nursing Department, School of Health and Care Sciences, University of West Attica, 12243 Athens, GreeceMSc Program in Community and Public Health Nursing, Nursing Department, School of Health and Care Sciences, University of West Attica, 12243 Athens, GreeceMSc Program in Community and Public Health Nursing, Nursing Department, School of Health and Care Sciences, University of West Attica, 12243 Athens, GreeceMSc Program in Community and Public Health Nursing, Nursing Department, School of Health and Care Sciences, University of West Attica, 12243 Athens, GreeceMSc Program in Community and Public Health Nursing, Nursing Department, School of Health and Care Sciences, University of West Attica, 12243 Athens, GreeceMSc Program in Community and Public Health Nursing, Nursing Department, School of Health and Care Sciences, University of West Attica, 12243 Athens, GreeceMSc Program in Community and Public Health Nursing, Nursing Department, School of Health and Care Sciences, University of West Attica, 12243 Athens, GreeceMSc Program in Community and Public Health Nursing, Nursing Department, School of Health and Care Sciences, University of West Attica, 12243 Athens, GreecePhysical activity is an important factor in achieving healthy aging, offering older persons multiple benefits in terms of maintaining and improving their health and wellbeing. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of physical activity on the quality of life of older adults. A cross-sectional study was conducted from February to May 2022, using the Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) and the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). A total of 124 people aged 65 and over participated in the survey. The average age of the participants was 71.6 years, and 62.1% were women. Participants showed a moderate quality of life with regard to the physical health dimension (mean score 52.4) and a higher quality of life with regard to the mental health dimension (mean score 63.1) compared to the expected values of the population. Low levels of physical activity were recorded among older adults, reaching a rate of 83.9%. A moderate or high level of physical activity has been found to contribute to a better physical functioning (<i>p</i> = 0.03), vitality (<i>p</i> = 0.02) and general health (<i>p</i> = 0.01). Finally, comorbidity had a negative impact on physical activity (<i>p</i> = 0.03) and quality of life regarding mental and physical health in older adults. The study showed very low levels of physical activity in older Greek adults. The management of this problem, which was intensified during the COVID-19 pandemic, should be a high priority in public health programs focusing on healthy aging, as physical activity affects and promotes many of the basic aspects of quality of life.https://www.mdpi.com/2308-3417/8/3/61agingCOVID-19 pandemicolder adultsphysical activityquality of life |
| spellingShingle | Anna Psarrou Theodoula Adamakidou Paraskevi Apostolara Alexandra Koreli Marianna Drakopoulou Sotirios Plakas Dimos Mastrogiannis Alexandra Mantoudi Stelios Parissopoulos Afroditi Zartaloudi Marianna Mantzorou Associations between Physical Activity and Health-Related Quality of Life among Community-Dwelling Older Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study in Urban Greece Geriatrics aging COVID-19 pandemic older adults physical activity quality of life |
| title | Associations between Physical Activity and Health-Related Quality of Life among Community-Dwelling Older Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study in Urban Greece |
| title_full | Associations between Physical Activity and Health-Related Quality of Life among Community-Dwelling Older Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study in Urban Greece |
| title_fullStr | Associations between Physical Activity and Health-Related Quality of Life among Community-Dwelling Older Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study in Urban Greece |
| title_full_unstemmed | Associations between Physical Activity and Health-Related Quality of Life among Community-Dwelling Older Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study in Urban Greece |
| title_short | Associations between Physical Activity and Health-Related Quality of Life among Community-Dwelling Older Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study in Urban Greece |
| title_sort | associations between physical activity and health related quality of life among community dwelling older adults a cross sectional study in urban greece |
| topic | aging COVID-19 pandemic older adults physical activity quality of life |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2308-3417/8/3/61 |
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