A Comparison between Healthy Lifestyle Behaviors and Physical Activity Levels of Elderly İndividuals Residing in the City Center and Rural, and Analyzing Their Relationship with Depression

Abstract

ABSTRACT Purpose: Our study aimed to determine the differences in the levels of physical activity and healthy lifestyle behaviours in elderly individuals living in urban and rural and to examine their relationship with depression. Methods: Individuals who are over 65 and residing in the city and rural were included in the study. The Healthy Lifestyle Behaviour’s Scale-II, the Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly, and the Geriatric Depression Scale-15 were used on the participants Results: Healthy Lifestyle Behaviour’s Scale-II scores was no significant difference between the two groups (p=0.430). Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly score in rural (p= 0.001); Geriatric Depression Scale-15 score was statistically higher in the city (p= 0.01). While the relationship between the Healthy Lifestyle Behaviour’s Scale-II and Geriatric Depression Scale-15 scores was significant in both groups (p= 0.001 and p= 0.03), the relationship between the Elderly Physical Activity Scale-II and Geriatric Depression Scale-15 scores was significant only in the rural (p= 0.001). Conclusion: The elderly individuals in rural are more physically active than in city, the elderly living in city have higher depression levels. The factors affecting depression in the elderly living in cities need to be examined in detail.