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Participation in a physical activity program amongst elderly residents of a geriatric home in Rio de Janeiro

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to analyze the factors related to the participation of the residents of the Air Force´s geriatric home Casa Gerontológica de Aeronáutica Brigadeiro Eduardo Gomes (CGABEG) in the Walking and Physical Activity Program offered by the institution. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted with elderly people who lived in the geriatric home. It was performed a functional evaluation at the time of the admission, based on a tool developed by the institution, addressing physical aspects, activities of daily living, instrumental and social performance. The data of comorbidities were obtained from medical records. The elderly were interviewed on education, history and current practice of exercise, frequency, type and duration of physical activity practiced in addition to the self-assessment of health status. It was drawn a logistic regression model to analyze the association between the practice of physical activity and the variables of the study. RESULTS: Among the 94 residents selected to join the study, 53.2% were practicing some kind of activity and 88% of these were involved in walking. A quarter of sedentary elderly took part in the program after being admitted in the geriatric home. Differences were found, although they were not statistically significant. The results point out that the ones who practice more are men with less dependency, less injuries and more schooling. A statistically significant difference was found only for the auto-evaluation of the health state (more practice to the ones with best auto-evaluation). CONCLUSION: The incorporation of an elderly-oriented physical activity program is a strategy which can potentiate the participation and keep up the physical activity. Although not statistically significant, education showed no association, in contrast to the literature on the subject, probably because gender relations are different comparing elderly and the general population.

physical activity; aged; sedentary lifestyle; health programs


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