Impacto de um programa virtual de exercícios físicos sobre a qualidade de vida de idosos durante a pandemia da COVID-19

Abstract

The accentuated aging of the population, caused by demographic changes, has generated challenges to ensure, in addition to survival, a better quality of life (QoL). Studies involving this theme show the need to deepen the discussion and evaluate the impact of interventions aimed at the elderly population. This study aimed to analyze the impact of a virtual exercise program on the quality of life of the elderly during the COVID-19 pandemic. This is a quasi experimental, before-and-after study, with an assessment of the impact of the intervention, of a quantitative nature, with a non-probabilistic sample of elderly people in the city of Pirapora, located in the north of the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. The World Health Organization Quality of Life-Bref (WHOQOL-Bref) and the World Health Organization Quality of Life Assessment for Older Adults (WHOQOL-Old) instruments were used, in addition to a sociodemographic/behavioral characterization questionnaire developed by the authors. Data collection took place remotely, in two moments, in the first contact, the questionnaires were applied to 272 participants, and 94 elderly people agreed to participate in the intervention and were notified via a messaging application with guidelines for using the material. An illustrative booklet, with a session of physical exercises and stretching, and videos containing the physical exercise program, were sent to each elderly person. Those who did not participate in the program did not receive any type of intervention in the period. After eight weeks, in the second contact, the questionnaires were reapplied to assess QoL to compare the perception of the elderly before and after the intervention. Two losses were recorded over the period and, therefore, 92 elderly people were evaluated. All data were collected by a single professional, via telephone. Data analysis was performed quantitatively using descriptive statistics and non parametric tests: Mann-Whitney and Wilcoxon, using SPSS software version 20.0, adopted a statistical significance level of 5% (p<0.05). The study was approved by the Research Ethics Committee of the State University of Montes Claros (Opinion nº 4,332,488). Of the initial total of participants, 87.9% were female, predominantly aged between 60-69 years. The QOL measured by the WHOQOL-Bref showed a significant difference for the Social domain in the assessment of marital status and for the Psychological domain in the assessment of age groups. Regarding the WHOQOL-Old, the facets Sensory Functioning between males and females, Intimacy among those with or without a spouse and Death and Dying among the elderly who live alone and those who live with other people in their household showed significant differences. In the second moment of the research, the analysis of the impact of the virtual physical exercise program revealed a significant increase in the global score of the WHOQOL Bref after the intervention (p<0.001). In relation to the WHOQOL-Old, although there was an improvement in the scores, no significant differences were identified between the two moments evaluated. The results, after the intervention carried out, showed a positive impact of the virtual physical exercise program on QoL in the period of social distancing. In view of the research results, it is recommended to create strategies that encourage autonomy and independence, especially with the maintenance of a physically active lifestyle for this population segment.