The Effect of Health Promotion Program on the Frailty of Rural Elderly Women Implemented at Primary Health Care Posts / 農村醫學 地域保健

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: This study was conducted to examine the effects of a health promotion program on the health condition of rural elderly women implemented at primary health care posts using Korean Frailty Index. METHODS: The research was designed a nonequivalent control group pretest-posttest setting. The participants in this study were 50 residents (intervention group 25, control group 25) selected from 4 villages 2 primary health care posts in J city Gyeongsangnam-do. The health promotion program was conducted at the primary health care posts twice a week for 12 weeks. This program consisted of basic exercises(Gukseondo + Theraband muscle strength training) and additional activities(including modified Theraband activity, rubber ball exercise, ball massage, nutrition class, singing class). Collected data were analyzed by descriptive statistics, paired t-test, and repeated measures ANOVA with SPSS 21.0. RESULTS: Results of the health promotion program showed that the health conditions(measured by perceived health status, frailty score, upper/lower flexibility, maximum grip strength, dynamic balance test Timed Up and Go) of the experimental group(25) all statistical significantly improved. CONCLUSION: Study findings indicate that the health promotion program implemented at primary health care posts on rural elderly women is effective and can contribute to a developed health promotion program for local residents in the future.