Physical activity and depression in older adults in times of the COVID-19 pandemic

Authors

İnci Kesi̇lmi̇ş, Department of Physical Education and Sports, Osmaniye Korkut Ata University, Osmaniye, TurkeyFollow
Gülten Geçi̇tli̇, Undergraduate Student, Department of Physical Education and Sports, Osmaniye Korkut Ata University,Osmaniye, TurkeyFollow
Seda Kavak, Undergraduate Student, Department of Physical Education and Sports, Osmaniye Korkut Ata University,Osmaniye, TurkeyFollow
Süleyman Kostal, Undergraduate Student, Department of Physical Education and Sports, Osmaniye Korkut Ata University,Osmaniye, TurkeyFollow
Mehmet Melih Kesi̇lmi̇ş, Master of Science, Hüseyin Özer Merzeci Middle School, Toroslar, Mersin, TurkeyFollow

Abstract

Background: During the COVID-19 pandemic that affected the whole world, individuals aged 65 and over were in the group of “leaving home restriction” for a long time. Evaluation of physical activity and depression variables gains importance in the older adults who are physically exposed to inactivity. Methods: The research was conducted on 97 male and 78 female participants aged 65 and over with the “non-probabilistic sampling methods with convenience sampling” method. The Physical Activity Scale for Elderly (PASE), Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) and Katz Activities of Daily Living Scale were used as data collection tools. Results: The difference between physical activity and geriatric depression by gender is statistically insignificant (p>0.05). The difference between youngest-old and oldest-old age group according to the level of physical activity is statistically significant (p<0.05) and this difference is in favor of the youngest-old group. A low-level significant correlation was observed between geriatric depression and the Physical Activity Level (r=-0.150, p=0.047). Conclusions: In the light of the findings obtained from the study, a decrease in depression is observed with an increase in physical activity in the older adults. It is recommended to develop strategies to support physical activity for the older adults in isolation.

Recommended Citation

Kesi̇lmi̇s I, Geci̇tli̇ G, Kavak S, Kostal S, Kesi̇lmi̇s MM. Physical activity and depression in older adults in times of the COVID-19 pandemic. Balt J Health Phys Act. 2021;Suppl(2):51-61. doi: 10.29359/BJHPA.2021.Suppl.2.06

DOI

10.29359/BJHPA.2021.Suppl.2.06

Author ORCID Identifier

İnci KESİLMİŞ ORCID 0000-0002-2382-2205; Mehmet Melih KESİLMİŞ ORCID 0000-0002-7157-0444

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.