Beliefs and attitudes towards physical activity and exercise among Maltese older persons 65 years and over

Abstract

The aim of this study was to: 1) explore the beliefs and attitudes of Maltese aged 65 and over towards physical activity and exercise (PAE) and 2) determine if their beliefs and attitudes are congruent with their behavior and if what they do is sufficient to remain healthy and fit. This was a qualitative study that used an inductive approach to explore the attitudes and beliefs of older Maltese persons on their views and actions towards physical activity. The study was based within the interpretive-exploratory paradigm and used both closed and open-ended questions to hear the experiences of older Maltese people regarding physical activity. Referral sampling and convenience sampling approaches were used to recruit 18 participants, however only 15 participated at the end (8 females and 7 males). Data was collected in a face-to-face interview in an informal setting. To facilitate the data analysis, an interview summary was created to include key points, themes and quotes that were raised during each interview which formed the categories and help in the coding of the masses of data. The data showed that older Maltese people of today, especially those in advancing years, did not really incorporate PAE into their lives. Therefore, while older people believed that PAE is good for them, they do not actually participate in PAE at the appropriate levels needed to remain fit and healthy. Therefore, this study supported the initial hypothesis, which was that while older persons in Malta believe that PAE is important, it is not incorporated into their daily lives at the levels necessary to keep fit and healthy.