Factors Related to Physical Activity Among the Elderly Population in Rural Thailand.

Physical activity in later years of life is not only essential to healthy aging and independent functioning, but it also helps prevent chronic diseases. We aimed this cross-sectional study to assess the prevalence of physical activity and associated factors among rural elderly Thais. We conducted this study on a sample of 300 elderly in 2 rural districts of Phranakornsiayutthaya province in Thailand. The mean age of participants were 67.5±6 years and 42% of them did not perform physical activity. Prevalence of vigorous and moderate intensity physical activity was 43.7% and 48.7%, respectively. About 43.7% elderly used any active transport and spent 2.81 hours on sedentary activities, daily. Females and those with enough income were 3.64 and 0.59 times, respectively, less likely to be physically active ( P < .05). Our study concluded that almost half of the rural Thai elderly were physically inactive. Also male and wealthy elderly were less likely to be engaged in physical activity. We recommend for improved efforts to involve rural Thai elderly in physical activity by offering them opportunities for locally relevant recreational and leisure time physical activities, with special focus on males and higher income elderly.

EFFECTIVENESS OF GROUP-MEDIATED LIFESTYLE PHYSICAL ACTIVITY PROGRAM FOR HEALTH BENEFIT IN PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AMONG ELDERLY PEOPLE AT RURAL THAILAND.

BACKGROUND: Elderly population is considered as a vulnerable group and prone to develop multiple medical problems. This aging population is rapidly increasing in developing countries especially in Thailand. METHODS: This study was a quasi-experimental study to evaluate the effectiveness of Group-Mediated Lifestyle Physical Activity (GLPA) program on change health benefit in physical activity among elderly people by using validated and reliable Global Physical Activity Questionnaire-GPAQv2. The study was conducted in Phranakhonsiayutthaya district, Ayutthaya province due to its population being the second highest elderly in the Central Region of Thailand. A total of 102 persons of age 60 and over who could read and write Thai language were selected purposively. However, 52 elderly were enrolled in the intervention group and 50 were enrolled for the control group. General Linear Model repeated-measures ANOVA was used to evaluate the effects of program on change health benefit in physical activity among elderly. RESULTS: Overall health benefit at baseline were similar between intervention and control group and found statistically non-significant with p-value 0.638 (>0.05). However, the mean score of health benefit was 23.21 +/- 29.23 in intervention group and 20.74 +/- 23.18 in control group. One third of participants of intervention group had not found health benefit due to physical activity while in control group this number was more than half. After elderly received Group-Mediated Lifestyle Physical Activity program intervention for 6 month found significant statistical differences as compared with mean score at baseline (health benefit 6 month, intervention group =40.7?34.28 and control group = 4.56 +/- 8.79). CONCLUSION: The effect of Group-Mediated Lifestyle Physical Activity program change intervention was statistically significant in health benefit after intervention program between intervention and control group. Our study suggested that there was need of promoting and encourages physical activity to increase health benefit among elderly people in rural area.