Physical activity and perceived benefits and barriers in adults aged 55-74

Older people--Health and hygiene;Aging;Aging--Prevention

Montgomery, Alan A. ; Farrally, Martin ; Farrally, Martin

University:University of St Andrews

Department:Medicine (School of)

关键词: Older people--Health and hygiene;    Aging;    Aging--Prevention;   

Others  :  https://research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk/bitstream/handle/10023/2663/AlanMontgomeryPhDThesis.pdf?sequence=3&isAllowed=y

来源: DR-NTU

【 摘 要 】

In order to increase the number of older adults physically active enough toobtain the health benefits of exercise, inactive individuals must firstly beidentified, and attention must then be focused on determinants of exerciseamenable to change.This study set out to develop self-complete questionnaires for assessing activitystatus, and perceived benefits of, and barriers to, physical activity.Of 1456 questionnaires sent out to a random sample of adults aged 55-74 ausable return rate of 37.6% (n=548) was achieved. A principal componentsanalysis of the benefits of physical activity revealed five factors (physicalperformance, social, weight control, enjoyment, and psychological), and of thebarriers to physical activity, also five factors (opportunities, physical exertion,time, limiting health, and support). Alpha internal consistency coefficients forthe 10 factors ranged from 0.64 to 0.92, and test-retest reliability coefficientsfrom 0.56 to 0.87. A series of one-way ANOVAs revealed that, with theexception of the benefit weight control, there was a significant gradation infactor scores between active and inactive subjects as classified by 4-, 9-, and 5-point activity classification methods.Validity of the activity classifications was assessed in a subsample of 86subjects against measures of strength, flexibility, aerobic fitness and objectivelymeasured physical activity. Active and inactive subjects classified using the 4-and 9-point questionnaires differed significantly in 1-mile walk time and energyexpenditure estimated by a Caltrac accelerometer. The 5-point questionnaire didnot appear able to differentiate active and inactive subjects. Test-retest reliabilityof the questionnaires ranged from 0.62 to 0.73.The questionnaire developed from this work for measuring perceived benefitsand barriers of older adults can be used in either practical or research settings.Further work is required to determine the accuracy of the physical activityquestionnaires in identifying low-active individuals in the population.