Relationships between Participation in Volunteer-Managed Exercises, Distance to Exercise Facilities, and Interpersonal Social Networks in Older Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study in Japan

Yuki Soma, Ayane Sato, Kenji Tsunoda, Naruki Kitano, Takashi Jindo, Takumi Abe and Tomohiro Okura
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Yuki Soma: Faculty of Education, Hirosaki University, 1 Bunkyo-cho, Aomori 036-8560, Japan
Ayane Sato: Faculty of Regional Collaboration, Kochi University, 2-5-1 Akebono-cho, Kochi 780-8520, Japan
Kenji Tsunoda: Faculty of Social Welfare, Yamaguchi Prefectural University, 3-2-1 Sakurabatake, Yamaguchi 753-8502, Japan
Naruki Kitano: Physical Fitness Research Institute, Meiji Yasuda Life Foundation of Health and Welfare, 150 Tobuki, Tokyo 192-0001, Japan
Takashi Jindo: Faculty of Health and Sport Sciences, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennodai, Ibaraki 305-8574, Japan
Takumi Abe: Integrated Research Initiative for Living Well with Dementia, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology, 35-2 Sakae, Tokyo 173-0015, Japan
Tomohiro Okura: Faculty of Health and Sport Sciences, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennodai, Ibaraki 305-8574, Japan

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 22, 1-11

Abstract: This study aimed to examine the factors related to participation in volunteer-managed preventive care exercises by focusing on the distance to exercise facilities and interpersonal social networks. A postal mail survey was conducted in 2013 in Kasama City in a rural region of Japan. Older adults (aged ? 65 years) who were living independently ( n = 16,870) were targeted. Potential participants who were aware of silver-rehabili taisou exercise (SRTE) and/or square-stepping exercise (SSE) were included in the analysis ( n = 4005). A multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that social and environmental factors were associated with participation in SRTE and SSE. After adjusting for confounding variables, exercise participation was negatively associated with an extensive distance from an exercise facility in both sexes for SRTE and SSE. Among women, participation in SRTE was negatively associated with weak interpersonal social networks (odds ratio (OR) = 0.57), and participation in SRTE and SSE was negatively associated with being a car passenger (SRTE, OR = 0.76; SSE, OR = 0.60). However, there were no significant interactions between sex and social and environmental factors. Our findings suggest the importance of considering location and transportation to promote participation in preventive care exercise.

Keywords: participation; interpersonal social networks; accessibility; volunteer-managed exercises; older adults (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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