Evaluating Physical Activity Programs for Elderly People
Author Information
Author(s): Ana I Marques, Maria J Rosa, Pedro Soares, Rute Santos, Jorge Mota, Joana Carvalho
Primary Institution: Research Centre in Physical Activity, Health and Leisure - Faculty of Sports, Porto University, Portugal
Hypothesis
The study aims to characterize the quality management models of physical activity programs developed by Portuguese Local Administration for elderly people using the EFQM Excellence Model.
Conclusion
The study found that while there are some good practices in physical activity programs for the elderly, significant areas still require improvement.
Supporting Evidence
- Processes, Leadership, Customer results, and People had high percentage occurrences of quality practices.
- Partnerships and resources, People results, Policy and strategy, Key performance results, and Society results had lower percentage occurrences.
- Continuous quality improvement is critical for elderly satisfaction and adherence to physical activity programs.
Takeaway
This study looked at how well physical activity programs for older people are run and found that some things are done well, but there are still many areas that need to get better.
Methodology
The study used a combination of questionnaire surveys, semi-structured interviews, and document analysis to evaluate 26 physical activity programs.
Potential Biases
Self-reporting by coordinators may have led to more favorable outcomes than reality.
Limitations
The study relied on the perceptions of program coordinators, which may not provide a complete picture, and it was cross-sectional rather than longitudinal.
Participant Demographics
The study focused on physical activity programs for elderly people, with participants primarily from Portuguese municipalities.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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