PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND HEALTH-RELATED QUALITY OF LIFE IN OLDER ADULTS IN KUWAIT

Alragum S.¹, Alazmi A.², Alshammari D.², Alsager M.², AlBahrani S.²

¹Kuwait University, Physical Therapy, Jabrya, Kuwait, ²Ministry of Health, Physical Therapy, Kuwait, Kuwait

Background: Physical inactivity and older age were associated with increased prevalence of chronic diseases in Kuwait. Little is known about the effect of physical inactivity on gait speed, balance, and strength of older adults in Kuwait.

Purpose: 1. To evaluate the difference between older adults with high physical activity and older adults with low physical activity in terms of their chronic diseases, gait speed, balance, strength, and quality of life.
2. To examine the correlation between the five variables in older adults in Kuwait.

Methods: Twenty-eight adults (mean age 67 years) participated in this descriptive cross-sectional study. Participants were divided into low physical activity and high physical activity groups. Participants performed three tests: 10-m Walking Test, Berg Balance Scale, and Grip Strength. Participants also completed the SF-36 Health Survey. Chronic diseases were recorded by self-report. Mean differences between the two groups were compared with t-test. Correlation analysis was used to establish any correlation between the variables.

Results: Participants in the high physical activity group had higher scores in gait speed (p=.007), Berg Balance Scale (p=.018), grip strength, and quality of life and lower incidence of diabetes and hypertension (p .05) than participants in the low physical activity group. Physical activity was significantly associated with faster gait speed and lower incidence of diabetes and hypertension (p .01). In addition, there was a high significant association between gait speed and both balance and grip strength (p .01).

Conclusion(s): Kuwaiti older adults who are physically active have faster walking speed, stronger grip, better balance and better quality of life, and less chronic diseases than older adults who are physically inactive. Our study confirmed that physical activity is associated with lower incidence of chronic diseases of older adults in Kuwait. It also showed that physical activity is associated with faster gait speed, which is associated with better balance and stronger grip.

Implications: This information will add to our knowledge about the physical and mental performance of older adults in Kuwait. This will also help us in promoting for the benefits of regular physical activity in reducing the incidence of chronic diseases and improving physical function and quality of life in Kuwaiti older adults.

Funding acknowledgements: The study was not funded.

Topic: Older people

Ethics approval: The study was approved by the Ethics Committee for Student Research at the Health Sciences Center in Kuwait (#656).

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