Dr. Poblete-Valderrama, Felipe

Few studies have shown evidence about the factors that can determine physical practice in women over 60 years of age due to educational, economic, social, or health inequalities. Its knowledge could help to understand the determinants that encourage the practice of physical activity and the improvement of health in women over 60. Therefore, the aim of this research was to evaluate the level of studies, income, and the usefulness of social and health services in physically active older women according to the level of activity they practice. The IPAQ (International Physical Activity Questionnaire) and CUBRECAVI (subjective health scale) scales have been applied to a sample of 257 women between 61 and 93 years old (M = 69.44, SD = 4.61). The results have shown that those with vigorous physical activity are related to higher levels of education (p < 0.001) and income (p = 0.004). Furthermore, being dissatisfied with social and health services is associated with low levels of physical activity (p = 0.005). Older women who perform physical activity regularly are associated with high levels in some of the socio-environmental aspects of quality of life. High physical activity is related to a higher educational level and income. Socio-environmental factors generate social inequalities and modulate the lifestyles of older women.

The factors that make physically active older people feel more satisfied in adulthood have not been extensively studied. For this reason, the aim of this work has been to evaluate, among physically active older adults, whether the level of physical activity they perform and the factors that foster their quality of life can be predictors of their satisfaction with life. For this, the IPAQ, CUBRECAVI and LSI-A scales were applied to a sample of 397 people between 61 and 93 years old (M = 69.65, SD = 4.71). The results show that health (β = 0.373), functional abilities (β = 0.159) and environmental quality (β = 0.105) are predictors of satisfaction in the most active adults. In conclusion, neither physical activity (to a greater or lesser extent) nor income are predictive variables of satisfaction with life but, rather, predict some of the components that cement their quality of life (health, fending for themselves and the home environment).