Скачать или смотреть Changes in the social support, emotional state and quality of life

Changes in the social support, emotional state and quality of life, after a program of physical activity in the elderly people: clinical trial multi-center randomized

Anna Ruiz, Glòria Sauch, Jacobo Mendioroz, Pere Roura, Anna Sabata, Irene Cornet, Isabel Gómez, Àngels Casaldàliga, Carme Saldaña, Josep Vidal, Montserrat Fusté, Carme Boix, Berta Rodoreda, Anna Ramirez


Background:
Social isolation, loneliness and anxiety-depressive states are emerging health conditions in the elderly.
Research questions:
To assess whether a 4 month program of physical activity in a group improves the emotional, social and quality of life situation in a sample of subjects over 64 years old.

Method:
Multi-center, randomized clinical trial of two groups.
Study population: Patients older than 64 years assigned to 3 primary care teams from different locations. Inclusion criteria: Submit a score 32 on the DUKE-UNC-11 social support scale, or 12 on the Beck Depression Scale, or 10 on the Generalized Anxiety Scale (GAD-7), at the start of the study.
The intervention group participated in a group physical activity program for 4 months, that consisted of progressively walking sessions 2 days a week, 60 - 150 minutes long depending on the physical condition of each participant.

Results:
94 patients met the inclusion criteria. The mean age was 74 years (SD 5.18), 76.6% were women. There were no significant differences at the beginning of the study between the two groups in relation to the outcome of the scales evaluated. Once the intervention was completed, improvement in the quality of life and social support was detected in the intervention group (p 0.05). Both groups improved the depression and anxiety clinic but the improvement in the participants of the intervention group was much greater. Those with initial depression improved 8.6 points on the scale, compared to the control that improved 3.3 points, with the final average of 17.4. Those who presented initial anxiety improved 8 points (final average: 7.5 points, cut-off point for diagnosis of anxiety 10), compared to the control that improved 5.1 points.

Conclusions:
The results of this study indicate that the program developed has positive effects on improving the quality of life, social support and depression and anxiety clinic.