1Associate Professor Health Polytechnic Ministry of Health, Semarang, Indonesia
2Assistant Professor Health Polytechnic Ministry of Health, Indonesia
3Deputy to Chairman, College of Port Administration & Management, Surabaya, Indonesia
*Corresponding Author: Arwani, Health Polytechnic Ministry of Health, Semarang, Indonesia
Online published on 20 March, 2019.
The prevalence of depression in elderly is high. Globally, the incidence of depression in the elderly varies between 10–20%, as well as in Indonesia (17.8%). Depression can increase the amount of disability for almost 12% of total incapacity. It is important to make efforts to prevent the occurrence of depression in older people by implementing physical activities. The research aimed to determine the effect of different physical activities on depression levels in older people living in in the working area of Srondol public health center of Semarang municipality.
A nonrandomized controlled trial with pre-posttest design conducted on three intervention groups consisted of 10 elderly in each group using different treatment: free walking, brisk walking, and the combination of comfortable walking and brisk walking.
Research results showed that there was no statistically significant effect of different physical activities in the three groups regarding the levels of depression in older people in Srondol Public Health Center of Semarang municipality (p > 0.05).
The comfortable walking had the highest mean difference in reducing depression level of the older people compared to brisk walking and the combination of strolling and brisk walking. It is suggested that physical activity for elderly can be performed as it still has benefits in reducing depression scores, especially with sauntering.
Physical activity, strolling, brisk walking, depression, older people
