Habitual physical activity level and self-perception of health status in aged women of Jequié -Bahia - doi:10.5020/18061230.2007.p161

Abstract

The benefits of physical activity for a healthy aging are well described in scientific literature; nevertheless it is necessary to reveal its relationship to other behaviors related to health, in order to obtain information that can be useful in the formulation of physical activity programs. This study aimed at verifying the association between habitual physical activity level and self-perception of health status in aged women. The sample consisted of 266 aged women with mean age of 71.48±7.45 years-old, randomly selected and participants of 13 convivial groups of the Third Aged Groups Association and the Open University for the Third Age, in Jequié-BA. Data were collected in the period of June to August, 2005, by means of individual interviews, with questions related to socioeconomic distribution, physical activity level and perception of health. The data were analyzed by descriptive statistics (mean, standard deviation) and Qui-square test. According to the obtained data, the association found between the variables habitual physical activity level and self-perception of health status was not statistically significant. In this study, the active persons did not have a better perception of health than the non-active ones (?²=0,697; p=0,392). Politics destined to guarantee a better income condition for the aged are essential for the improvement of these people’s health status, since the negative perception of health status was associated to a worse income condition