Diferenças socioeconômicas e qualidade de vida em idosos praticantes de atividades físicas/psicossociais

Abstract

Introduction: As a result of physiological and environmental changes associated with aging, the elderly have health conditions different from those of the young. Objective: To compare the quality of life (QOL) of elderly practitioners of regular physical activity (RPA) and psychosocial activities (PA) using the Whoqol-Breff and Whoqol-Old instruments, in relation to socioeconomic profile. Methods: We interviewed 108 elderly persons, divided into two groups: RPA (n=54) and PA (n=54). Results: There was a predominance of females and higher-educated individuals (p<0.05) in the RPA group. The PA group earned up to three times the minimum wage (p<0.05), and its participants worked in general services/main-tenance jobs, while the members of the RPA group were employed in health and home services activities (p<0.05). The scoring was high in the physical domain (71.0 ± 15.6) and in social relations (70.7 ± 15.2) when Breff was applied in the RPA group. Social relations scores increased in the PA group (69.1 ± 19.1); in the RPA group, the physical domain was significant (p<0.05). In Old, “past present future”, “social participation”, and “self-esteem” showed p<0.05. Conclusion: Education and income had an influence in the practice of exercise and in quality of life.