Claudio Andre Barbosa de Lira1, Henrique Viana Taveira2, Weverton Rufo-Tavares3, Alexandre Dos Santos Amorim3, Lucas Matos Costa Ferreira3, Marilia Santos Andrade4, Rodrigo Luiz Vancini3. 1. Centro de Educação Física e Desportos, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, Vitória, Brazil; Setor de Fisiologia Humana e do Exercício, Faculdade de Educação Física e Dança, Universidade Federal de Goiás, Goiânia, Brazil. Electronic address: andre.claudio@gmail.com. 2. Centro de Educação Física e Desportos, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, Vitória, Brazil; Curso de Educação Física, Faculdade do Futuro, Manhuaçu, Brazil. 3. Centro de Educação Física e Desportos, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, Vitória, Brazil. 4. Departamento de Fisiologia, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Aging is related to an increase in the prevalence of noncommunicable diseases and impairments in health-related quality of life. Physical activity is a nonpharmacological intervention that is known to prevent and manage noncommunicable diseases and improve quality of life. OBJECTIVES: To compare the quality of life, as measured by the Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36), of elderly participants and nonparticipants in a community physical activity program. METHODS: One hundred elderly men and women (age > 60 years) who were either sedentary (sedentary [S] group; n = 50, 30 men) or physically active and attended a community physical activity program (physical activity [PA] group; n = 50, 30 men) took part in the study. All participants completed the SF-36 subscales to assess their quality of life. RESULTS: The PA group reported higher values on the functioning capacity and general health perceptions subscales of the SF-36 when compared with the S group. Conversely, scores on the following SF-36 subscales did not differ between the groups: role limitations due to physical problems, pain, vitality, social functioning, role limitations due to emotional problems, and mental health. A ceiling effect was evident in both groups for all SF-36 subscales. CONCLUSIONS: The SF-36 subscales were not sufficiently sensitive to detect differences between the S and PA groups (except for functioning capacity and general health perceptions), probably because of ceiling effects.
BACKGROUND: Aging is related to an increase in the prevalence of noncommunicable diseases and impairments in health-related quality of life. Physical activity is a nonpharmacological intervention that is known to prevent and manage noncommunicable diseases and improve quality of life. OBJECTIVES: To compare the quality of life, as measured by the Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36), of elderly participants and nonparticipants in a community physical activity program. METHODS: One hundred elderly men and women (age > 60 years) who were either sedentary (sedentary [S] group; n = 50, 30 men) or physically active and attended a community physical activity program (physical activity [PA] group; n = 50, 30 men) took part in the study. All participants completed the SF-36 subscales to assess their quality of life. RESULTS: The PA group reported higher values on the functioning capacity and general health perceptions subscales of the SF-36 when compared with the S group. Conversely, scores on the following SF-36 subscales did not differ between the groups: role limitations due to physical problems, pain, vitality, social functioning, role limitations due to emotional problems, and mental health. A ceiling effect was evident in both groups for all SF-36 subscales. CONCLUSIONS: The SF-36 subscales were not sufficiently sensitive to detect differences between the S and PA groups (except for functioning capacity and general health perceptions), probably because of ceiling effects.
Authors: Branko F Olij; Lotte M Barmentloo; Dini Smilde; Nathalie van der Velde; Suzanne Polinder; Yvonne Schoon; Vicki Erasmus Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2019-03-26 Impact factor: 3.390