Exploring Factors and Strategies to Promote Chinese Elders’ Physical Activity

Abstract

This study was designed to explore factors and strategies to promote Chinese elders’ physical activity and cultivate healthy lifestyles. We collected the CHARLS survey 2011 baseline data, and selected 2647 cases of the elderly population in China. Based on the social ecosystem theory, the univariate analysis and ordered logistic regression were used. The model was analyzed for multivariate analysis. In the present study, the appropriate IRB approval has been obtained from Peking University. The theory of social ecology believes that individual behavior is influenced individual factors, inter-individual factors, organizational factors, community factors and policy factors. This article used the gender, age, marriage, education, and self-assessment of health status in the survey results as independent variables of individual factors, used whether to provide care for grandchildren, the frequency of participation in social activities as independent variables of inter-individual factors, used whether there are organizations that assist the elderly, the weak, the disabled population and whether there are elderly associations as the independent variables of organizational factors, then uses whether there is geriatric health service center as an independent variable of community factor. In this paper, physical activity participation intensity was used as the dependent variable, and single factor correlation analysis was performed with each independent variable. The other nine chi-square test significant independent variables except for age were included in the multiple regression model. The results showed that compared with other marital status, the physical activity intensity of the elderly population with spouses living together is greater; the elderly population who has better self-rated health scores and has higher social frequency, has stronger physical activity intensity; the elderly population who has geriatric health care service centers in their residence has stronger physical activity intensity. The following suggestions to promote health of Chinese elderly population can be made: the elderly population should establish their own awareness of health care and exercise; the children of the elderly population should strengthen their care for the elderly population; the community pension service organizations should take the initiative to play an active role to care the elderly population; the elderly population residence should strengthen the supporting hardware facilities.