Background and Objective: Social health and quality of life (QOL) are two very important factors whose improvement can progress the QOL of the elderly. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between physical activity with social health components and QOL indicators of the elderly.
Methods: In this descriptive and survey study, 140 elderly people of Lahijan city were selected as a sample in 2021. The Physical Activity (Sharkly), Social Health (Keys) and World Health Organization Quality of Life Brief Version (WHOQOL-BREF) questionnaires were used in the current study. The data were analyzed through descriptive tests, independent group t-test, Spearman correlation coefficient and Mann-Whitney U test using SPSS 23.
Findings: The results showed that the mean age of the elderly was 66.94± 8.22. The highest (4.11) and lowest (2.58) mean scores were related to social cohesion and social solidarity, respectively. Moreover, the social health and QOL scores were 3.12 (moderately upward) and 79.05 (moderate), respectively. Therefore, there was a positive and significant relationship between physical activity with social health components and QOL indicators (p <0.05).
Conclusion: The results showed that sports activities in the elderly improved their social health and QOL. Hence, there is a need for effective planning and interventions in the field of exercise and physical activity for the elderly.