Evaluation of the Community-based Health Promotion Activities for the Elderly : Focusing on Participants' Perceived Effects

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the community-based health promotion activities for the elderly (welfare square) using the questionnaires including demographic data and the indicator for measuring the effects of these activities from the perspectives of the participants. The demographic data of four hundred and twenty four participants were analyzed. One hundred and seventy eight participants who answered all items of the indicator for measuring the effects of activities were analyzed to examine the structure of the effects of activities using exploratory factor analysis. The results were as follows ; 1 The female participants were four times greater than males Furthermore, over more than half of the participants were over seventy years old. 2. "The opportunities of enjoyment have increased" was the highest response for the items of the indicator for measuring the effects of activities. The next highest response was "the interaction with others has increased". 3 The results of the exploratory factor analysis with varimax rotation showed three factors transformation of self-understanding (factor 1) , developing relationships with others (factor 2), and health promotion (factor 3). The factor solution was able to explain for 61.3% of the variance. From these results, it appeared that these community-based health promotion activities for the elderly could prevent social isolation and bed bound, and could increase the opportunities of enjoyment for the elderly. It is possible that the indicator that was used in this study could be applied to another community-based health promotion activities.