Perceived Benefits and Barriers to Exercise among Physically Active and Non-Active Elderly People
Purpose: Adhering to a physically active lifestyle and exercising regularly is a challenge for many elderly people. Identifying the factors that influence such adherence may help in policy-making and in promoting a physically active lifestyle. This study aimed to compare perceived benefits and barriers to exercise among physically active and non-active elderly persons.
Method: Around 140 elderly persons with normal cognition and no depression, living in the community, were divided into two groups - the physically active and the non-active - using Rapid Assessment of Physical Activity Scale. Their perception about benefits, barriers and motivators for exercise were studied using Exercise Benefits and Barriers Scale. The scores of both groups were analysed.
Results: A significant difference was found in scores of perceived benefits and scores of motivators in both groups (p <0.0003 and <0.0001 respectively), but no difference was found in perceived barriers(p=0.0607). Strongest benefit perceived by the physically active elderly was “Exercise helps me to sleep better”, and the strongest motivator was “I enjoy exercise”.
Conclusion: The study shows that although both the physically active and non-active elderly perceive equal barriers for exercise, the benefit perceptions and motivators seem to play a significant role in adhering to a physically active lifestyle and exercising regularly. Spreading awareness about such benefits and the reduction of barriers may help in promoting regular physical activity among the elderly.
Keywords
Authors
How to Cite
Download Citation
License
Copyright © 2019 The Author(s)

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License By-NC-ND 4.0 that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access ).
Similar Articles
- Pavithra Rajan, Use of Skype to Educate Underprivileged Blind Children in India: Motivations, Barriers and Teaching Strategies , Disability, CBR & Inclusive Development: Vol. 24 No. 3 (2013): Autumn
- Nathan Grills, Lawrence Singh, Hira Pant, Jubin Varghese, GVS Murthy, Monsurul Hoq, Manjula Marella, Access to Services and Barriers faced by People with Disabilities: A Quantitative Survey , Disability, CBR & Inclusive Development: Vol. 28 No. 2 (2017): Summer 2017
- Dafiah PM, Krishnendu Sreekumar, Vineetha Sara Philip, Exploring the Use of Communication Supports Inventory- Children and Youth (CSI-CY) - to Identify Barriers and Facilitators in Implementing Augmentative and Alternative Communication in India: Preliminary Evidence from Two Case Reports , Disability, CBR & Inclusive Development: Vol. 31 No. 4 (2020): Winter
- Regina Celia Fiorati, Regina Y Dakuzaku Carretta, Karine Pereira Joaquim, Aline Ferreira Placeres, Tiago Silva Jesus, Anticipated Barriers to Implementation of Community-Based Rehabilitation in Ribeirão Preto, Brazil , Disability, CBR & Inclusive Development: Vol. 29 No. 1 (2018): Spring 2018
- Carolin Elizabeth George, Gift Norman, Tanya Elizabeth Benjamin, Devashri Mukherjee, Barriers to Early Diagnosis, Intervention and Social Integration of Children with Developmental Disabilities: A Qualitative Study from Rural Villages and a Poor Urban Settlement of Bangalore, South India. , Disability, CBR & Inclusive Development: Vol. 25 No. 4 (2014): Winter 2014
- Rachael Abrokwah, Efua Mantey Aggire-Tettey, Augustina Naami, Accessing Healthcare in Ghana: Challenges Encountered and Strategies Adopted by Persons with Disabilities in Accra , Disability, CBR & Inclusive Development: Vol. 31 No. 1 (2020): Spring 2020
- Augustina Naami, Breaking the Barriers: Ghanaians’ Perspectives about the Social Model , Disability, CBR & Inclusive Development: Vol. 25 No. 1 (2014): Spring 2014
- Wisdom Kwadwo Mprah, Perceptions about Barriers to Sexual and Reproductive Health Information and Services among Deaf People in Ghana , Disability, CBR & Inclusive Development: Vol. 24 No. 3 (2013): Autumn
- Hester M van Biljon, Bianca Salie, Jancke C van Wyk, Jessica Daniel, Lize-Mari Kersop, Michaela Naidoo, Lana van Niekerk, Access to Public Healthcare Rehabilitation Services by Persons with Disabilities in South Africa: a Scoping Review , Disability, CBR & Inclusive Development: Vol. 33 No. 3: (Autumn) - 2022
- Marlee Elizabeth Quinn, Cynthia L Hunter, Sumanta Ray, Mohammad Morshedul Quadir Rimon, Krishno Sen, Robert Cumming, The Double Burden: Barriers and Facilitators to Socioeconomic Inclusion for Women with Disability in Bangladesh , Disability, CBR & Inclusive Development: Vol. 27 No. 2 (2016): Summer 2016
You may also start an advanced similarity search for this article.
Most read articles by the same author(s)
- Atiya A Shaikh, Janhavi Jagdish Atre, Barriers and Facilitators to Community Ambulation in Maharashtra, India: Perception of Individuals with Stroke , Disability, CBR & Inclusive Development: Vol. 30 No. 4 (2019): Winter 2019