Journal of Medical Care Research and Review

Received 10 Feb 2022 | Accepted 27 Mar 2022 | Published Online 25 Apl 2022

DOI: https://doi.org/10.52845/MCRR/2022-4-1 ISSN (O) 2589-8949 | (P) 2589-8930

IF:5.555
JMCRR 5 (4), 1190−1199 (2022)

ORIGINAL ARTICLE

Correlation of physical activities and life quality in elderly

Minh Xuan Huong Nguyen1, Chanh Thuc Dao2, Tien Trung Doan3

1
Van Hien University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
2
An Giang University, Vietnam National University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
3
Department of Physical Education, Ho Chi Minh City University of Education, Vietnam

Abstract

This article considers the correlation between life quality and physical activities in the elderly.
The author, using Scopus database search, Clarivate Analytics, and Google Scholar, identified 10
studies that met the criteria for this study, with a total number of participants (n = 2466). This
study uses Microsoft Excel and SPSS 20.0 software to analyze consider affect level weighted
average of life quality and physical activities. Aim to achieve life quality and physical activities
of the elderly (over 65 years old). The primary outcome of this study that determined effect in 10
studies was 0.256 (Fisher's Z = 4,739, with reliability p < 0.001), which confirms that
participation in physical activities has a positive effect on life quality in the elderly. At the same
time, this paper analyzes heterogeneousness among studies, with Q value (Q = 75.142, reliability
p < 0.001) and I-squared value (82,231), which confirms that studies are inconsistent.
Consistency, and also evaluated the publication bias, to demonstrate that there could be no
publication bias, the study created a symmetric funnel plot to compare them.
Keywords: Physical activities , Elderly, Physical health, Life quality.

Introduction
The population over 65 years old, correlation between life quality and physical
worldwide has increased a lot in the past activities of older people needs more
decades, life quality is of prime importance attention, there is a lack of analytical studies
in the medical field. At the same time, the using correlation coefficients to determine

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the effect of this association. This paper different quantitative studies [6], [12], [22],
provides evidence of a strong correlation [26], [28]. This has the benefits of using
between physical activities and the life meta-analyses in individual studies. First, to
quality of the elderly. This study contributes distinguish it from qualitative assessments,
to the current literature that is lacking, and meta-analysis allows researchers to reduce
contributes to current applications that are bias in evaluations, ensuring reliability [12].
relevant to, and have implications for, For these reasons, and also the lack of such
elderly health care professionals. WHO studies on physical activities and life quality
predicts life expectancy will increase from in the elderly. Therefore, this issue needs to
72.6 years to 77.1 years by 2050. However, be explored further. Second, meta-analytical
in the least developed countries, it is 7.4 research allows to detection of trends and
years lower than the global average. In patterns or consider results from alternative
addition, the United Nations data shows an studies [21]. Also, since the outcome of a
alarming trend of population aging. In 2018, meta-analysis can be a method of combining
for the first time in history, the number of effect scales from a group of empirical
people aged 65 and over globally surpassed studies, it provides an accurate estimate of
the number of children under the age of 5. the experimental sample, the average effect
The number of people aged 80 and over is between research, and give accurate results
forecast to triple, from 143 million in 2019 [22]. Therefore, this article is a meta-
to 426 million in 2050. As life expectancy analysis, to consider the correlation between
increases and birth rates decline, the world's physical activities and life quality in the
population is aging. This is believed to be elderly. To confirm their differences,
harmful to the global economy as the between the studies done (2001-2010) and
proportion of people of working age is the studies (2011-2020) or not?; What is the
smaller and the number of elderly people is correlation between physical activities and
higher, increasing the cost of health care. life quality in the elderly?
Given the number of studies that have The hypothesis of this study may have
been performed to consider the correlation implications for individual researchers and
between physical activities and life quality practitioners in healthcare and physical
in the elderly, it is necessary to consistently education.
consider existing empirical studies on this
According to He. W [23], UN, [35] by
correlation. Therefore, now there are very
2050, there are more than 703 million
limited meta-analytical studies investigate
people aged 65 and over in the world and
the relevance of these two issues over the
1/6 of the global population over 65 years
past years. Of the studies, few have analyzed
old. They are point out that “Peoples living
this correlation, to measure the average
longer, but that does not mean their life
effect size between physical activities and
quality healthier ”, and it is undeniable that
life quality.
Americans have degraded their life quality,
The results of meta-analysis statistics between 1993-2001, [16], [13].
can combine knowledge from many

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Correlation of physical activities and life quality in elderly

Thadathil's study [32], statistics on the author used Scopus, Clarivate Analytics
demographic factors: advanced age, legal search tools, and Google Scholar, etc. In the
status, employment, etc. Kang's family method consider related articles, the author
relationships and social support [2], has carefully read the papers then excluded
Gallardo's non-secular association [20], and those that do not meet the 2 criteria
Sivertsen's depression [29]. Authors [1]; [5]; mentioned. In addition, duplicates were
[8] states that the elderly's life quality is eliminated in this method. With search and
entirely related to sports activities. Life consideration, there were ten matches (N =
quality can be a broad idea, encompassing 10; total elderly = 2466). Table 1 lists ten
physical and mental state, social and research findings that were conducted for
emotional functioning (World Health this study. Analyze correlation and affect
Organization, 1993). As noted by the scale with SPSS 20.0 and Microsoft Excel
authors [1], [11], psychological factors such software, these are the programs used by the
as trust, confidence, self-esteem have a majority of researchers, for their integrity,
positive effect due to the impact of physical with one of the main aspects being the
activities. At the same time, Elavsky [1] also ability to convert between completely
states that physical activities have a positive different indices of affect factor [14]. The
present and future influence on life quality author used a random effect model to
in the elderly. In addition, using appropriate consider the overall effect scale [15]. With
physical activities for each subject will be “r correlation coefficient” used the effect
very effective in reducing the risk of age- size for this study.
related diseases and improving
Result
psychological health, as well as cognitive
ability in the elderly [34]. Affect level to a correlation between
physical activities and life quality,
Research Methods performed with the ten studies listed in
Criteria were suitable for this study. Table 1. To stabilize the variance in the
integrated analysis, the author used the
Firstly, research statistics can be
correlation transformation of each study to
considered full text, from 2001 to 2020 will
Fisher's Z-scale. The effect size across all
be attached in this research process. Second,
ten studies was 0.256 (lower limit = 0.157,
the studies investigated the physical
upper limit = 0.347, Fisher's Z = 4739,
activities and life quality of older adults and
reliability p < 0.001). These results
reported a correlation between them. To
confirmed that elderly participation in
identify articles with connected content
physical activities has a positive effect on
through information search, and to retrieve
life quality. Table 1 represents the effect
relevant information about the relationship
sizes of the studies.
between physical activities and life quality,

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Table 1. The affect scale of the studies and the effect overall average scale.

At the same time, the study performed (2001-2010) and studies 2011 and later
a separate group analysis, the separate (2011-2020) (Q-value = 2.501, reliability p
groups performed to consider whether the = 0.051).
affect scale was different between the The squared value of “I” was used to
studies before 2010 and the studies from analyze inconsistency in this study. There
2011 onwards (2011-2020). The effect size are three main levels in the “I” squared
results for each group are statistically value for determining inter-study differences
significant. For the 2001-2010 studies (n = [24], [6]: First: square (I < 20%) means low
5), the effect size was 0.215, (Lower limit = heterogeneous, Second: the square of the
0.116, Upper limit = 0.312, Fisher's Z = value (I = 50%), which means there is a high
3,912, reliability p < 0.001) and the 2011- degree of heterogeneous, Third: square of
2020 studies ( n = 5), the effect size was the value (I > 75%), which means high
0.253 (Lower limit = 0.128, Upper limit = heterogeneous degree. The result of this
0.431, Fisher's Z = 3.323, reliability p < study, the square of the value (I = 82,231%),
0.001). However, carefully consider the shows a very high degree of heterogeneity.
affect scale between studies before 2010

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Correlation of physical activities and life quality in elderly

Figure 1. Publication bias meta-analysis of studies

Consider publication bias, which is Discussion
crucial for the existence of publication bias
The results of this study demonstrate a
in a study. It is believed to be biased towards
correlation between physical activities and
negative stakeholder findings when deciding
life quality in the elderly. This we confirm
whether or not to publish a study [30].
and strongly support the idea that when
Therefore, such studies have the potential to
older adults participate in physical activities,
combine using meta-analysis, through which
they have an improved life quality. They
analytical researchers can prove their
benefit greatly from what physical activity
research manuscripts, to confirm the applied
brings to them and reduce the risk of
academic significance of their findings [25].
diseases of old age such as coronary heart
Publication bias occurs once in experimental
disease, strong bones, lower high blood
studies and publication bias is more
pressure, diabetes, reduced anxiety, and
pronounced in studies with positive
depression. [34].
outcomes than in studies with negative
outcomes [31]. The use of funnel charts to Damiot et al. [17] state that during the
visually assess the amount of variation COVID-19 pandemic, some elderly
between analytical results, is the widely experience loneliness and depression
used publication bias measure of researchers because they do not have access to nursing
[25]. As shown in Figure 1, the symmetry homes. One of the campaign's
between the studies (shown in the cells) recommendations is that people do physical
indicates that the studies are truthful, while activities to stay healthy at home, especially
the asymmetrical cells indicate dishonesty. the elderly. At the same time, healthcare
In this study, the results show that the professionals serving the elderly can
histogram shows symmetrical plots, which develop online physical activities programs
confirms that the studies are truthful. for them.

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The results of the study have both high criteria, and which may have been missed
scientific significance and great during the search. However, the results from
contributions to health care professionals this study's square "I" measure are still
and managers, teachers, and coaches in the scientifically informative given the overall
field of physical education and sports. size of the participants (2466). Very few
studies have performed a meta-analytic
Uses the quantitative relationship of
review of the association between physical
odds ratio and mean a difference to estimate
activities and life quality in the elderly.
mean effect size, often used to report meta-
analyses in the health field, while scientific Conclusion
researchers Social studies are mainly based This result confirms that greater
on the use of correlation coefficients r participation in physical activities is
[26],[27],[28]. In addition, the correlation associated with better life quality in the
coefficients of the meta-analysis will allow elderly, and shows Inconsistency among the
researchers to perceive the results of the 10 studies that performed the analysis. The
meta-analysis more efficiently [19]. The interesting finding of this paper extends the
present study is in agreement with the current literature on the topic, using a meta-
results of Meungguk P, et al (2020) [6], and analysis of correlation coefficients. For
can extend the existing knowledge on this researchers, this study has special
topic by using the correlation method in implications for elderly health care
calculating effect size. professionals - it highlights the importance
Many studies have demonstrated the of providing quality physical activities
effect factors between physical activities và programs for people of all ages.
life quality in the elderly, these studies often
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