A Pilot Physical Activity Initiative to Improve Mental Health Sta­tus amongst Iranian Institutionalized Older People

Abstract

Background: Sufficient level of physical activity may promote overall and mental health of old people. This study was carried out to investigate the practi­cability of a physical activity promotion initiative amongst institutionalized older people in Tabriz, north eastern Iran. Methods: Purposive sampling method was used in this semi-experimental study to recruit 31 older people living in a selected residential care in Tabriz, the capi­tal city of East Azerbaijan Province, Iran. Moderate-intensity aerobic and mus­cle-strengthening activity was planned for those who had not severe baseline cognitive impairment or were not too frail to undertake the survey. The General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28) was used to measure mental health status be­fore and after intervention through a face-to-face interview. Descriptive statis­tics, Wilkcoxon rank-sum, Mann–Whitney U and Chi-Square tests were em­ployed to analyses the data. Results: The applied intervention was significantly improved status of physical health, anxiety and insomnia, social dysfunction and severe depression. Conclusion: Incorporation of physical activity promotion programs into rou­tines of older people residential care homes in Iran is feasible but may need training of physical activity specialists to work with older people based on their physical endurance and limitations.

Keywords: Physical activity, Mental health, Older people, Iran