Health Behavior and Recreational Activity of Elderly People in Elderly Schools of Thailand

Abstract

This research aimed to examine the health behaviors and recreational activities of the elderly and investigate the relationships between the physical, mental, emotional/intellectual, and the social aspects of the elderly in the elderly schools. The samples were 400 elderly people, who had been recruited via the Multi-Stage Random Sampling method. The data collection was completed by using a questionnaire developed by the researcher. It consisted of 3 parts: Firstly was The respondents’ General Information, Secondly was The respondents’ Recreational Activity Needs, and lastly was The Elderly Health Behavior Assessment, which had a 5-level rating scale. The questionnaire was rated with reliability of 0.924. The statistics used for data interpretation included means, percentages, standard deviations (S.D.), and Pearson's Product Moment Correlation Coefficient. The results presented that there were more females than males, with the average age range of 60-69 years. The elderly’s needs for physical recreation activities with the three highest average scores were Stick exercises, and Yoga. Regarding the mental activities, the two highest average scores were Tree planting, and Gardening. The needs for emotional/intellectual health were Basketry, and Weaving. The highest average scores for the needs of the elderly on the social aspect were Rhythmic activities, and Singing. The overall physical health of the elderly was rated at a low level, while the overall scores for the mental, emotional/intellectual, and social health aspects were at moderate levels. The relationship between health promotion activities and the health quality of the elderly in the elderly schools was statistically significant at a level of 0.01.