Sociodemographic and psychological variables, physical activity and quality of life in elderly at Unati Campinas, São Paulo

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.