Koren L. Fisher

The Relationship of Chronic Disease and Demographic Variables to Physical Activity in a Sample of Women Aged 65 to 79 Years

This study explored the relationship between physical activity, marital status, income, education, and chronic disease in older women to determine which individuals are at risk of being inactive and to identify potential moderators of physical activity behavior. This was an analysis of cross-sectional data from a convenience sample of 271 community-dwelling women aged 65 to 79 years. Self-reported physical activity was measured using the Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly. Socio-demographic characteristics (including age, gender, marital status, education, employment, and income) and self-reported health were measured using previously validated instruments. To avoid seasonal variations in physical activity, data were collected during the summer months. Physical activity was negatively associated with age and the presence of cardio-respiratory disease and positively associated with income greater than

Is Self-Reported Physical Activity Participation Associated with Lower Health Services Utilization among Older Adults? Cross-Sectional Evidence from the Canadian Community Health Survey

20,000 (p < 0.05). After controlling for other co-variates, no significant differences were observed in physical activity between married and unmarried individuals. Given the strong association between cardio-respiratory disease and income with physical activity, women 65 years of age and older in lower income brackets and suffering from these health conditions should be targeted for exercise counseling and support. Intervention research is needed to determine the most effective means to decrease inactivity among these women.

Profile of physical activity levels in community-dwelling older adults.

Purpose. To examine relationships between leisure time physical activity (LTPA) and health services utilization (H) in a nationally representative sample of community-dwelling older adults. Methods. Cross-sectional data from 56,652 Canadian Community Health Survey respondents aged ≥ 50 years (48% M; 52% F; mean age 63.5 ± 10.2 years) were stratified into three age groups and analysed using multivariate generalized linear modeling techniques. Participants were classified according to PA level based on self-reported daily energy expenditure. Nonleisure PA (NLPA) was categorized into four levels ranging from mostly sitting to mostly lifting objects. Results. Active 50–65-year-old individuals were 27% less likely to report any GP consultations (ORadj = 0.73;  P < 0.001) and had 8% fewer GP consultations annually (IRRadj = 0.92;  P < 0.01) than their inactive peers. Active persons aged 65–79 years were 18% less likely than inactive respondents to have been hospitalized overnight in the previous year (ORadj = 0.82,  P < 0.05). Higher levels of NLPA were significantly associated with lower levels of HSU, across all age groups. Conclusion. Nonleisure PA appeared to be a stronger predictor of all types of HSU, particularly in the two oldest age groups. Considering strategies that focus on reducing time spent in sedentary activities may have a positive impact on reducing the demand for health services.