Abstract
The study aimed to identify and describe health promotion actions related to physical activity among elderly people at basic health units and the perception of those responsible for this practice. This was a cross-sectional survey using a quantitative approach carried out in Diamantina, Minas Gerais State, Brazil, in 20112. A 28-questions survey, organized in the form of a Likert scale, was used during the interviews carried out among 28 people in charge of such actions. Eleven educational health promotion actions related to physical activity among elderly people were found, five of which under the responsibility of teachers and students of a public school, while six under headed by professionals from the family health teams. The actions observed were ‘walk and exercise group (stretching),’ ‘back group,’ and ‘Qigong.’ Participants demonstrated their understanding of the benefits afforded by phy-sical activity for the elderly, the impact these actions have on public health, and the need for ongoing training.
Keywords
aging; health education; continuing education; physical activity; family health