Thesis Proposal:
A study of Walking for Leisure on Health Perception and Mental Health Among Older Adults- focus on group difference by age and Intensity levels of walking for leisure.
- Introduction
Problem Statement
The Significance of the Study
Regular participation in leisure physical activity can reduce morbidity, mortality, delay disability and prolong later life independence living (Kim et al., 2014). While the demographic change is a welcome phenomenon with a view of longevity, financial, social, and health impacts cannot be ignored. Mason and Keams (2013) stressed a positive relationship between mental wellbeing and physical activity. However, most studies examine walking for leisure among different age groups with small sample size investigations. The present study seeks to support the essence that these activities promote mental health and positive perception of overall health among older adults. The study will also contribute to the development and evaluation of preventive plans that can be successfully introduced to reduce lifestyle diseases such as stroke and heart diseases that are common with the aging. In addition, the study will emphasize the importance of walking for leisure as an intervention to decrease depression and cognitive impairment burden associated with later life by critically reviewing evidence supporting the association.
Purpose of the Study
The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationships among levels of walking for leisure, mental health, and health perception among older adults living in the United States. Currently, there is insufficient literature regarding the relationship between these variables in different intensity levels of walking for leisure among old population that will be examined in the forthcoming research (Ward & Schiller, 2013). Thus, the current study intends to examine what intensity levels of walking for leisure contribute on mental health and health perception among older adults.
Objectives
The ensuing research intends to examine the differences in the intencisty levels of health perception and mental health among lightly active, moderately active, and vigorously active groups of walking for leisure. Hence, the study will provide insights into the contribution of walking for leisure on health perception and mental among older people.
- To evaluate the contribution of walking for leisure on health perception and mental health among older adults.
- To examine differences in the levels of health perception and mental health among different intensity levels of groups.
- To provide recommendations regarding the importance of walking for leisure among older adults.
Research Questions
- Are there any significant differences in mental health by different levels of walking for leisure participation groups?
- Are there any significant differences in health perception by different levels of walking for leisure participation groups?
- Are there any significant differences between demographic information (e.g., sex, age, marital status, education, job, and income) and walking for leisure participation?
Research Hypotheses
H1 There will be significantly difference of health perception by intensity levels groups among older adult.
H2 There will be significantly difference of mental health by intensity levels groups among older adult.
H3 There will be significantly difference of walking for leisure by demographic information.
H4 All variables will have correlations between each variables.
- THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
The Theory of Planned Behavior
The model states that people’s behavior can be effectively determined depending on the intention since it indicates the willingness towards the performance of a specific character (Chatzisarantis & Hagger, 2005). Therefore, any efforts to change behavioral intentions among people imperatively require the considerations of these elements to accurately determine behavior (Noar, 2006). For this study, the model will be used to evaluate the correlation between research variables particularly health perception and mental health in relation to walking for leisure among the older adults.
Social-Cognitive Theory
The social-cognitive model states that people exhibit various behaviors based on psychological constructs such as outcome expectations, self-regulatory, barriers, and self-efficacy (Netz & Wu, 2005). Based on the theory, individuals with higher self-efficacy persist in the face of difficulties; thus, they get more involved in physical activity (Kosteli, Williams, & Cumming, 2016). Therefore, the ensuing study will use social cognitive theory (SCT) to describe the impact of walking for leisure on the well-being of older adults.
III. LITERATURE REVIEW
Walking for Leisure and Health Perception
Walking for Leisure and Mental Health
III. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Study Method
The study will adopt a quantitative approach for the collection and analysis of data. Essentially, a quantitative method offers the opportunity to gather statistical data, which further allows examination of the causal relationship between variables (Eyisi, 2016). The method will help to test the hypotheses based on both primary and secondary data that will be analyzed using descriptive approach (Eyisi, 2016).
Participants and Procedures
This study will use the 2017 California Health and Interview Survey (CHIS), a nationally represented survey of non-institutionalized adults in the United States. The CHIS includes a wide range of health information, such as cancer prevalence, health status, and health-related behaviors, as well as public use of health-related information. The participants will be older adults over than 65 age since this group represents individuals with the capability to engage in LTPA and more vulnerable to mental health and perception health (Yang, Chen, & Wendorf Muhamad, 2017).
- Instrumentation
Dependent variables. Health perception will be used to assess participant’ perceived health. One item will be used as follows: Would you say that in general your health is excellent, very good, good, fair, or poor? The participants will be responded on 5 point likert scale. Secondly, mental health will be used to measure participants’ mental health, K6 Mental Health Assessment which composed of 6 items will be used in this study. The question is as follows: How often during the past 30days did you feel nervous / hopeless/restless or fidgety/ everything was an effort/depressed /worthless? The question will be rated on 5 point likert scale.
Independent variables. Walking for leisure will be evaluated by requesting individuals to state the frequency and duration they usually engage in walking activities. The questions for measuring intensity levels of leisure walking are as follows: How many times did those walks take (times per day)? How long did those walks take (minutes per day/hours per day) ?
Crucially, participants will be classified into three different intensity levels of leisure walking groups: (1) light active group (those who reported less than 3.0 METs-hour/week (2) moderately active group (those who reported 3.0-5.9 METs-hour/week), (3) vigorously active group (those who reported more than 6.0 MET-hour/week). Metabolic equivalent (MET) intensity levels for each activity will be assigned (Ainsworth, et al., 1993; Ainsworth, et al., 2000).
- Data Analysis
The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) will be utilized to analyze the data. Descriptive analysis will be used to identify older adult characteristics with regard to demographics and study constructs. A cross tabulation for nominal variables such as age, gender and educational attainment and Chi-square tests will be used to identify the underlying correlates. ANOVA for a continuous variable will be used to test demographic differences among the three levels of walking for leisure groups such as light activity, moderate activity, and vigorous activity groups. A one-way multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) will be conducted with intensity of walking for leisure as independent variables, and with health perception and mental health as dependent variables to test the significance of group differences. The use of MANOVA is appropriate when the dependent variables are correlated (French, Macedo, Poulsen, Waterson, & Yu, 2002). Two correlations met the criterion: general health and mental health (r = .327, p< .01). Multi-collinearity checks will be confirmed that this is not a problem for these analyses (De Vaus, 2002).
Ethical Consideration
The primary ethical principles that will be considered include informed consent, confidentiality, and respect for anonymity. These issues will be addressed by ensuring participation is voluntary, collected data or personal information is not shared without individuals consent, and concealing respondents’ identities respectively.