Attendance and barriers of participation in a supervised walking program for adults and elderly from primary care settings in São Carlos, SP

Abstract

Despite widespread information about the importance of physical activity for the promotion of health and active and healthy aging, the level of physical activity of the population is still low. There is need for a deeper understanding of the factors related to attendance of people to physical activity, especially in primary care settings. This research aims to assess attendance, barriers and reasons for participation and waiver of adults and older adults in a program of supervisioned walking. This is a cross sectional survey consisting of: 1) intervention group (n = 71), and 2) control group (n = 71) group. The intervention will last for six months with a subsequent follow-up period of six months as well. The program will offer supervised exercise twice a week, for an hour each day. The classes will consist of recreational activities, walking and educational strategies for behavior change to physical activity. Sociodemographic and socioeconomic variables, reasons to attendance, barriers to physical activity, reasons for participation and waiver characteristics will be evaluated and it is expected to find most females, aged above 40 years and levels of education and income diverse. Also, it is expected that the program has characteristics of low attendance, especially for time barrier and diseases. It is also expected dropouts occurrence because of family schedule and incapacity diseases.