Open AccessPhysical Activity and Physical Function in Older Adults Living in a Retirement Community: A Cross-Sectional Analysis Focusing on Self-Rated Health
Author(s) -
Émerson Sebastião,
Shaine Henert,
Vitor Antonio Assis Alves Siqueira
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
american journal of lifestyle medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.404
H-Index - 37
eISSN - 1559-8284
pISSN - 1559-8276
DOI - 10.1177/1559827620942720
Subject(s) - medicine , gerontology , cross sectional study , healthy aging , health and retirement study , proxy (statistics) , perception , cardiovascular health , environmental health , activities of daily living , psychology , physical therapy , disease , pathology , machine learning , neuroscience , computer science
Perceived health is a widely used proxy for measuring individuals' health status across different populations, including older adults. This measure is commonly reported as a subjective indicator, as a strong predictor of longer-term morbidity and mortality, and as a method to identify high-risk groups with health needs. This study examined differences in physical activity (PA) and physical function (PF) among older adults living in a retirement community located in the Midwest region of the United States as a function of perceived health. Results suggest that older adults perceiving their health as excellent reported significantly higher PA and performed significantly better on PF assessments than those reporting it as good or fair. Programs focusing on increasing PA in older adults living in retirement communities should be considered as potential strategies to enhance the health and health perception of this population.