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- Ericson, Helena, 1980-
(författare)
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A Salutogenic perspective on resistance training : a study on healthy old adult women
- 2018
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Licentiatavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The number of people aged 60 years and over has doubled since 1980and the World Health Organization predicts that the population of over60s will reach 2 billion by the year 2050. An ageing population poses bothchallenges and opportunities for society and for individuals. Whilst theseare positive statements, increases in life spans do not directly lead to increasesin health spans. The naturally occurring ageing process can leadto reductions in functionality and, in order to address this, scholars haveargued the benefits of regularly engaging in physical activity, and especiallyresistance training. Therefore, an important challenge for modernsociety is to develop strategies that delay the onset of disease, such as interventionsthat include physical activity. This licentiate thesis investigatesolder women’s physical activity in a resistance training context and howthis affects different aspects of their health.The overall aim of the thesis is to explore healthy and physically activeolder women’s experiences of what maintains and enhances their healthafter starting resistance training.This thesis used a quantitative and a qualitative approach to investigatea group of old adult women. Data collection was structured in questionnaires(n=32) with one intervention group and one control group for thepaper I, and focus group interviews (n=14) in paper II. Paper I studied theeffects of resistance training on physically active and healthy olderwomen. Paper II relates to the women who continued to exercise after theresistance training intervention ended in order to explore their health resources.The theoretical framework used in this thesis is a movement towardshealth as explained by salutogenic theory.This thesis showed that resistance training has positive effects on psychologicalwell-being and is important because it not only benefits thosewho are physically inactive, but also those who are already physically activeand healthy.From a salutogenic perspective, physical activity provides a meaningful,comprehensible and manageable way for older women to engage in theongoing process of maintaining health.
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| 2. |
- Ericson, Helena, 1980-, et al.
(författare)
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Health resources, ageing and physical activity : a study of physically active women aged 69–75 years
- 2018
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Ingår i: Qualitative Research in Sport, Exercise and Health. - : Routledge. - 2159-676X .- 2159-6778. ; 10:2, s. 206-222
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Most studies on issues relating to ageing, physical activity and health are based on an understanding of what causes illness, rather than what promotes health. The health benefits of physical activity relate to questions about how to avoid physical inactivity and overcoming barriers to participating in physical activity, rather than why older people continue to be physically active. The aim of this study was to explore health resources in relation to physical activity, especially resistance training, that physically active women between the ages of 69–75 years characterise as important for the maintenance of health. In order to investigate these health resources, the study drew on salutogenic theory and the concept of sense of coherence. The analysed data came from interviews with 14 physically active Swedish women aged 69–75 years who had previously taken part in a resistance training intervention, but who also had continued to engage in physical activity and resistance training when the intervention ended. We identified seven health resources, social relations and care, positive energy, self-worth, capability in and about physical activity, the habit of exercising, identity as an exercising person and womanhood related to physical activity, in this case resistance training, that physically active women aged between 69 and 75 years characterised as important for maintaining their health. In conclusion, physical activity carried out in a stable group of peers provided a meaningful, comprehensible and manageable way for these older women to engage in the on-going process of maintaining health.
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| 3. |
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| 4. |
- Ericson, Helena, 1980-, et al.
(författare)
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Organized sport and physical activity for older adults - salutogenic settings-based recommendations
- 2023
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Ingår i: European Journal of Public Health. - : Oxford University Press. - 1101-1262 .- 1464-360X. ; 33:Suppl. 1, s. I83-I83
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Tidskriftsartikel (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Sport and physical activity is important to address healthy aging. There are recommendations on how much physical activity people should do, but no recommendations for how organizations should organize activities to suit as many as possible.The purpose of this study was to explore the characteristics of sport and physical activity initiatives that older adults participate in. Different ongoing sport and physical activity initiatives that involve older adults were investigated regarding their focus, organization, intensity and organizer, and in relation to their costs, booking opportunities and recruitment. The study was conducted with a cross-sectional design using the Salutogenic Physical Activity Health Resources Questionnaire (SPAHRQ). The study included 27 different initiatives with 372 participants (60% women) ranging from 60 to 96 years of age. A health-promoting, salutogenic, settings-based approach, and specifically the concepts drop-in, drop-through and drop-over (Geidne and Quennerstedt, 2021) were used in discussing recommendations for the organization of sport and physical activity for older adults.The main findings were that who (sports clubs or senior associations) organizes the sport and physical activity initiative seems to affect the characteristics of how (for example intensity and characteristics of the activities) it is organized and what characterizes the participants in it. Despite the differing characters of sport and physical activity initiatives, the majority of older adults are recruited by internal contacts like friends and family. The lowest costs are found in senior associations, leisure-focused initiatives, individual initiatives, and low-intensity activities.In senior associations, most activities were booked per semester 60%. In sport clubs the most common bookingsystem was per occasion, 40%.In team sports (almost always in sport clubs), the most common way of booking was per semester (46%). Which older adults participate in which initiatives is explained mostly by the age and gender of the participants.In conclusion, to attract as many older adults as possible, organizations should work with lowering the thresholds into, as well as within and between, organizations, and raise the threshold for dropping out of sports and physical activity.
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| 5. |
- Ericson, Helena, 1980-, et al.
(författare)
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Physical activity as a health resource : a cross-sectional survey applying a salutogenic approach to what older adults consider meaningful in organised physical activity initiatives
- 2021
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Ingår i: Health Psychology and Behavioral Medicine. - : Taylor & Francis. - 2164-2850. ; 9:1, s. 858-874
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objectives: Examine health resources that physically active older adults consider meaningful when participating in physical activity initiatives. Health resources are protective factors, including attitudes, knowledge, material factors or social support, that potentially enable people to understand and make sense of their lives or to cope with life stressors.Design and main outcome measures: A cross-sectional quantitative study was conducted with two questionnaires used to serve as a compiled ‘ageing well’ survey: the Salutogenic Physical Activity Health Resources Questionnaire (SPAHRQ) and the short form of the Sense of Coherence questionnaire, SOC-13.Results: The study included 372 participants ranging from 60 to 96 years of age (mean age: 74.4 ± 7 years; 60% women). Social relations, positive energy, the habit of exercising and embodied satisfaction were considered important by more than 70% of the participants. Social relations were the most meaningful health resource for both men and women (89%). Women rated positive energy as a significantly more important consequence of their participation in physical activity than men (W 88%, M 72%; p = .001). The three health resources that were considered less important were capability in and about physical activity, self-worth and identity as an exercising person. Those who were more physically active considered social relations, self-worth and the habit of exercising to a higher extent. Participants with higher sense of coherence consider the habit of exercising to a greater extent to be important.Conclusions: Findings that social relations, positive energy, the habit of exercising and embodied satisfaction were considered important by more than 70% of the participants, can contribute to a wider understanding of health resources that older adults consider meaningful in their participation in organised physical activity initiatives.
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| 6. |
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| 7. |
- Ericson, Helena, 1980-, et al.
(författare)
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Resistance training is linked to heightened positive motivational state and lower negative affect among healthy women aged 65–70
- 2018
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Ingår i: Journal of Women & Aging. - : Taylor & Francis. - 0895-2841 .- 1540-7322. ; 30:5, s. 366-381
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Resistance training (RT) improves overall health, but the psychological effects of RT in healthy old adults have not been tested. The aim of this study was to investigate a sample of 65–70-year-old healthy and physically active women to assess their sense of coherence, health-related quality of life, hope, and affect, before and after taking part in a 24-week RT intervention (N = 14), compared to controls (N = 18). Findings showed a significant increase in hope (p = 0.013) and a significant decrease in negative affect (p = 0.002). Starting RT after age 65 does not appear to negatively impact on women’s psychological health but seems to be associated with important psychological health benefits.
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| 8. |
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| 9. |
- Ericson, Helena, 1980-
(författare)
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The art of ageing well : a salutogenic perspective on physical activity for older adults
- 2022
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- This thesis examines older adults’ participation in physical activity, and is framed within a salutogenic theory regarding ageing well, or as others say, healthy ageing. Ageing well can be studied in numerous ways. Since this thesis is within the field of Sport Sciences, different physical activity initiatives for older adults are in focus. Population ageing is a global trend andrepresents a major societal challenge. Societies that adapt to this changing demographic situation and invest in healthy ageing or in how people can age well may enable people to live longer and healthier lives and reduce the burden of disease and disabilities. Therefore, strategies that offer environments that contribute to keeping people active are something that societies should prioritize. Current knowledge on issues relating to an ageing population are often based on an understanding of what causes illness, rather than what promotes health. Against this backdrop, it is essential to investigate those who are regularly physically active. The overall aim of the thesis is to contribute knowledge about older adults’ participation in sport and physical activity initiatives. The thesis will further contribute knowledge about who participates in the initiatives and what characterizes the different initiatives they participate in. This will be explored using salutogenic theory in relation to ageing well. Main findings are that older adult women and men are partly drawn to different physical activities and social relations were the most meaningful health resource. In conclusion, engaging in physical activity increases the odds of maintaining well-being in later life and of ageing well. Thus, offering and increasing physical activity is one way of meeting the challenge of an ageing population in society. From a salutogenic perspective, physical activity carried out to provides a meaningful, comprehensible and manageable way for older adults to engage in the ongoing process of maintaining health.
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| 10. |
- Ericson, Helena, 1980-, et al.
(författare)
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The art of ageing well-a salutogenic study of physically active old adults
- 2022
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Ingår i: European Journal of Public Health. - : Oxford University Press. - 1101-1262 .- 1464-360X. ; 32:Suppl. 2
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Tidskriftsartikel (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Background: People aged 60 years and over has doubled since 1980 and WHO predicts that this population will reach 2 billion by the year 2050. However, increases in life spans do not directly lead to increases in health. An aging population poses both challenges and opportunities for society and for individuals. In order to address this, scholars argue for the benefits of being physically active, especially in a group of peers. However, the relation between physical activity and health is often based on an understanding of what causes or prevents illness rather than what promotes health. The purpose of this study is thus to contribute to knowledge about which health resources older adults develop in their participation in organised physical activity initiatives. The study will consider to what extent older adults develop health resources, differences in demographic background and the relation between the health resources and Sense of coherence (SOC).Methods: This is the first data collection in a longitudinal study. Participants were old adult men and women, 60 years and above. All participants were active in ongoing organised physical activity initiatives in different organisations on a voluntary basis. A survey included demographics, overall health, health resources (McCuaig & Quennerstedt, 2018) and SOC-13. The data collection is ongoing (preliminary n = 200) and ends spring 2020. Statistical analyses were descriptive and included bivariate analyses.Results: Preliminary results show that the most frequent health resources are social relations, positive energy and embodied identity for both men and women. A positive related correlation of the health resource habit of exercising were observed with a high sense of coherence.Conclusion: The Salutogenic idea of having access to various health resources linked to a high sense of coherence is in line with the result of a positively related correlation direction and also with the health resource habit of exercising. The results of the study can contribute to knowledge about which health resources older adults develop in their participation in organised physical activity initiatives.
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