Abstract
Regular practice of intense physical workouts helps in the prevention and management of polymorbidity among aging population. These adults benefit from engaging in physical activity rather than being dormant or following a sedentary lifestyle. Analysing the intensity of physical activity among middle-aged and older adults with and without polymorbidity would enable health programs to better understand individuals’ health-enhancing behaviour. The study employs the Longitudinal Ageing Study in India (LASI) conducted during 2017–2018 and undertakes propensity score matching techniques to estimate the impact of polymorbidity on engaging in vigorous, moderate and light-intensity activity as a health-enhancing behaviour. The Inverse Probability Weighting and Regression Adjustment and Mantel Haenszel test statistic of sensitivity analysis were conducted to ensure that results are not driven by the limitations of one method. The findings reveal a reduction of 4 percentage points in vigorous-intensity physical activity and a 3-percentage point decline in moderate-intensity physical activity among polymorbid adults relative to non-polymorbid adults. Adults with polymorbidity had a lower chance of engaging in vigorous and moderate physical activity than non-polymorbid adults. The existing policies focus on reducing risky health behaviour rather than promoting health-enhancing behaviour. They are mostly youth-oriented and unsupervised in the context of disease-specific requirements. There is a need for policy interventions aimed at promoting cohort and disease-specific physical activity to encourage health-enhancing behaviour among the ageing population.
Presenters
Pragya TanejaStudent, PhD, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
Medical Perspectives on Aging, Health, Wellness
KEYWORDS
Polymorbidity, Propensity Score Matching, Health-enhancing behaviour, Physical activity
