SEARCHOTHERpublic health, epidemiology

other·public health, epidemiology, family medicine, geriatrics, internal medicine·PMC10138980

Physical Activity, Public Policy, Health Promotion, Sociability and Leisure: A Study on Gymnastics Groups in a Brazilian City Hall

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health · 2 authors, 1 centre

AI SUMMARY

FIDELITY 100%

This summary was generated by AI from a single paper. It has not been reviewed by a clinician and is not clinical advice. Verify against the source before acting on it.

AGENT 01 · STRUCTURED SUMMARY

TRACE TO SOURCE

“

TL;DR

This mixed-methods case study analyzed a municipal gymnastics program for women to understand its longevity and impact.

Full summary

742 CHARS

This mixed-methods case study analyzed a municipal gymnastics program for women to understand its longevity and impact. Using the WHOQOL-bref questionnaire (N=239) and focus groups, researchers found participants reported improved quality of life, with benefits extending beyond physical health. Socioeconomic differences influenced overall quality of life scores but not the reasons for joining or staying in the program. Long-term adherence was primarily attributed to the classes serving as spaces for sociability and leisure, becoming a crucial social support network. The study highlights the program's effectiveness as a biopsychosocial health promotion strategy, providing social and psychological benefits alongside physical activity.

STUDY TYPE

other

SPECIALTY

public health

SUMMARISED BY

AI pipeline

FIDELITY CHECK

100% · A

ORIGINAL PAPER

PMC10138980

Physical Activity, Public Policy, Health Promotion, Sociability and Leisure: A Study on Gymnastics Groups in a Brazilian City Hall

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health

READ THE FULL PAPER

ABSTRACT

Background: The present study analyzed a gymnastics program offered by the Department of Sports and Leisure at a Brazilian city hall, representing an example of an effective and consolidated public policy. Main objective: The objective of this study was to understand the reasons for enrollment/joining (adhesion) and permanence (adherence) among female students in gymnastics groups in order to understand why this public policy has been taking place uninterruptedly for over thirty years and to characterize the quality of life of female gymnastics students. Methods: This is a case study that used mixed methods. As a quantitative method, the Portuguese version of the World Health Organization Quality of Life—Abbreviated Version (WHOQOL-bref) questionnaire was used. As a qualitative method, the focus group technique was used. Thus, 239 women aged between thirty-five and seventy-four years old, who were students of the gymnastics program, participated in this research by answering the WHOQOL-bref questionnaire. Two classes were selected using the socioeconomic criterion of social classes in inverse situations to carry out one focus group session; then, twenty students belonging to the two classes were randomly selected. Results: It was verified that the public policy studied has led to an improvement in the quality of life of the students, with the benefits extending beyond physical health, and that in both groups adhesion occurred mainly due to the indication of students who already practiced, or due to medical indications. It was also found that, in both groups, the main reason for long-term adherence was the understanding of the gymnastics class as a space for sociability and a moment of leisure. Conclusion: Physical activity is an important health promotion strategy. In addition to its biological benefits, which are necessary for the prevention of chronic non-communicable diseases, it also improves health and quality of life through social and psychological benefits, characterizing it as an effective health care strategy from a biopsychosocial perspective.

CITATION EXPORT

Caroline Giolo-Melo, Reinaldo Tadeu Boscolo Pacheco. Physical Activity, Public Policy, Health Promotion, Sociability and Leisure: A Study on Gymnastics Groups in a Brazilian City Hall. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. (2023). https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20085516

AUTHORS

2 · 1 CENTRES

Caroline Giolo-Melo, Reinaldo Tadeu Boscolo Pacheco

School of Arts, Sciences and Humanities, University of São Paulo—USP, Rua Arlindo Béttio, 1000-Ermelino Matarazzo, Sao Paulo 03828-000, Brazil

EDITOR / REVIEWER

Eduarda Sousa-Sá