A COMPARISON BETWEEN HEALTHY LIFESTYLE BEHAVIORS AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY LEVELS OF ELDERLY INDIVIDUALS RESIDING IN THE CITY CENTER AND RURAL AND ANALYZING THEIR RELATIONSHIP WITH DEPRESSION

Abstract

Purpose: This study aimed to determine the differences in the levels of physical activity and healthy lifestyle behaviors in elderly individuals living in urban and rural and to examine their relationship with depression. Material and Methods: Individuals who are over >65 years old and residing in the city and rural were included in the study. The Healthy Lifestyle Behaviors Scale-II, the Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly, and the Geriatric Depression Scale-15 were used on the participants. Results: Healthy Lifestyle Behaviors Scale-II scores were not significantly different between the two groups (p=0.430). Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly score in rural (p= 0.001); Geriatric Depression Scale-15 score were statistically higher in the city group (p= 0.01). While the relationship between the Healthy Lifestyle Behaviors 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 group (p= 0.001). Conclusion: The elderly individuals in rural are more physically active than in the city, and the elderly living in the city have higher depression levels. This current study suggests that the difference in depression scale scores of individuals living in the city center and rural areas may be due to the difference in physical activity scores. The factors affecting depression in the elderly living in cities need to be examined in detail.