Evaluation of the Level of Physical Activity among People Aged 50 and over Followed at the Abidjan Civil Servants’ Hospital in 2022

Introduction: The health benefits of regular physical activity are well recognized and documented. In Côte d’Ivoire, the absence of research data assessing the level of physical activity in the elderly justifies the present study. Objective: This paper aims to assess the level of physical activity and identify associated factors in people aged 50 and over attending the Abidjan Civil Servants’ Hospital. Methods: This was a descriptive and analytical cross-sectional study. It took place from October 2021 to August 2022 and involved a purposive sample of 113 people aged 50 and over. It took place at the Abidjan Civil Servants’ Hospital. The physical activity questionnaire (GPAQ) was used to classify physical activity levels. Associated factors were investigated by multivariate analysis using logistic regression at a significance level of 5%. Results: With a mean age of 60.58 years, the majority of study participants were men (72.57%). Of 113 participants, 48.67% had a borderline or low level of physical activity, 37.17% a moderate level of physical activity and 14.16% an intense level of physical activity. Factors predictive of borderline activity level were female gender (P = 0.042, OR = 2.67, 95%-CI = [1.04 - 6.87]) and the existence of diabetes (P = 0.014, OR = 5.81, 95%-CI = [1.43 - 23.57]). Conclusion: Nearly half the people aged 50 and over had a low level of physical activity. To reinforce the results of this study, further studies with more representative samples are needed to better identify the issue of physical activity practice in distinct subpopulations and patients.