Assessment of health promoting behaviors in relation to physical activity in elderly

Abstract EN

Background: Health promotion refers to those behaviors in which a person is engaged in to prevent disease and maximize health, it is beneficial in older adult in reducing disability and improving quality of life.

Objective: To assess these behaviors in relation to health outcomes among old population for the last five years of their lives in Mosul city.

Methodology: After obtaining a formal consent from the participant, a random sample of 112 old persons were included in this case series study.

They were collected from elderly home in Mosul and from two main health centers, data collected in a period from the first January to the end of March in 2011.

Peers correlation was used to examine this relationship.

Result: The study founded that exercise is predictive for less Basic Activities of Daily Living limitation (washing, bathing, eating, dressing, getting in/out of bed), Balanced diet was also found to be predictive for fewer Limitation of Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (moving from room to room, walking out of door, shopping, doing own house work).

Inverse relations were found between stress management and both BADL/IADL.

It was also founded between subjectively related health with both exercise and healthy balanced diet.

Conclusion: The study concluded that old population in Mosul were poorly engaged in a real health promoting behaviors, mainly for exercise and balanced diet.

Recommendation: The study recommend that a special attention should be given for old population Through a health promoting centers to increase their years of healthy life.