Quality of life perceived by women in different kinds of physical exercise

Abstract

The aging is a complex process that involves several variables such as physical health integration, psychological well being, personal and environmental relationships. The goal of this study was to assess the quality of life perceived by women in different types of physical exercises. The study was descriptive, with a cross-section, and the sample was composed by 45 women at ages between 50 and 60, divided in three groups: combined exercises, volleyball and sedentary. Both have been practicing physical exercises for at least two years. An abbreviated version in Portuguese of the instrument World Health Organization´s WHOQOL-Bref Quality of Life Assessment was used. The levels of satisfaction with the quality of life found for the physical, psychological, social and environmental relationships in the combined exercises and in the volleyball domains were meaningful, showing the existence of differences between the domains. However, in the sedentary ones, there were no significant differences, showing a homogeneity of values between the domains, and they were smaller than those in the ones who practice physical exercises. The importance of the physical exercise as means of health protection, promotion and prevention is observed, influencing in a positive way the well being and the quality of life