Abstract
Abstract Introduction: Although previous studies have characterized the sociodemographic profile and physical activity level of older people at the Universities of the Third Age (Unati - Universidade Aberta da Terceira Idade), there are research gaps regarding the relationship of these variables with the psychological aspects and the quality of life. Objective: To assess the relationship between sociodemographic and psychological variables, physical activity level and quality of life (QoL) in older people at Unati in Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil. Method: This is a cross-sectional study that recruited 116 older participants of both gender, aged between 60 and 89 years. They were submitted to the following tests: the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES), the Wagnild & Young’s Resilience Scale (RS), the General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSE), the WHOQOL BREF, the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), the Self-Reporting Questionnaire (SRQ20) and the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). The data were analyzed using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov, chi-squared, Fisher’s exact, t- and Mann-Whitney U tests, as well as the generalized linear models. Results: Self-esteem was associated with age, income, schooling level, membership time, and the psychological domain of the WHOQOL-BREF (p < 0.05). Resilience was associated with the schooling level and the psychological domain of the WHOQOL-BREF (p < 0.05), and the self-efficacy with the psychological domain of the WHOQOL-BREF. Common mental disorders were related to the physical and psychological domains of the WHOQOL-BREF, as well as the self-efficacy and being male. The physical activity level showed no correlation with the psychological aspects and the sociodemographic variables studied (p > 0.05). Conclusion: The sociodemographic variables influence emotional aspects, particularly older people’s self-esteem and resilience at Unati. Additionally, the psychological domain of the WHOQOL-BREF was a predictor of all the emotional variables in this sample.
Highlights
Previous studies have characterized the sociodemographic profile and physical activity level of older people at the Universities of the Third Age (Unati – Universidade Aberta da Terceira Idade), there are research gaps regarding the relationship of these variables with the psychological aspects and the quality of life
In this sample, classifying physical activity via the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) did not exhibit explanatory power in any of the models for the related variables to psychological aspects and as such has not been included in tables 2 to 5
In a sample of the Universidades da Terceira Idade (Unati) members, this study identified sociodemographic, emotional and health-related differences between genders, with sociodemographic variables related to emotional aspects and the psychological domain of the WHOQOL-BREF as a predictor of all the emotional variables
Summary
Previous studies have characterized the sociodemographic profile and physical activity level of older people at the Universities of the Third Age (Unati – Universidade Aberta da Terceira Idade), there are research gaps regarding the relationship of these variables with the psychological aspects and the quality of life. The recent decades have seen the creation of special programs for older people at higher education institutions, known as Universities of the Third Age (Unati in Brazil) These programs promote active aging through a range of stimulating activities and provide a valuable arena for physical, mental and social development. It is important to highlight that these studies were conducted with community-dwelling older people’s heterogeneous groups, characterized by marked differences in physical and socioeconomic aspects. This heterogeneity is not echoed in the Unatis, whose unique context cannot be extrapolated to the national scenario. Roque et al [7] reported that Unati members are mostly women, with higher schooling levels (78.7% > 9 years of study) and more economically active than the average Brazilian older population
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