Barreiras percebidas por pessoas idosas para a prática regular de atividade física

Abstract

Population aging increases the need for health care for the elderly, especially due to the prevalence of chronic diseases and functional limitations that compromise quality of life. Physical activity is a non-drug intervention that contributes to improving health and quality of life. Identifying the barriers to regular physical activity is crucial to developing strategies that encourage active and healthy ageing, thusaging, promoting greater autonomy and well-being. The aim of this study was to identify the perceived barriers to regular physical activity by elderly users of the Teaching Assistance Unit (UDA) at the Federal University of Alagoas (UFAL). Sixty-seven elderly people took part in the study, 20 men with an average age of 67 and 47 women with an average age of 69. The data was collected using the Questionnaire on Barriers to the Practice of Physical Activities for the Elderly (Hirayama, 2006), made up of 22 questions where the alternative answers are: (1) Always; (2) Often; (3) Sometimes; (4) Infrequently; (5) Never. The results showed that the main barriers to regular physical activity among the elderly were: the lack of a companion (62.7%), the fear of falling or getting hurt (58.2%) and the lack of suitable facilities nearby (53.7%). In addition, (38.8%) indicated the need to rest in their free time and (22.4%) cited insecurity in their neighborhoods as an obstacle. Demotivation (17.9%) and health problems (16.4%) were also pointed out as relevant factors that make it difficult for the elderly to engage in physical activities. It can be concluded that the most cited barriers to regular physical activity were: lack of supervision, fear of falling or getting hurt and lack of adequate facilities were the most prominent. Therefore, in addition to improvements in infrastructure and safety, it is crucial to develop strategies that include follow-up programs, social support and awareness campaigns to encourage the practice of physical exercise for the ageing population.