Związek poczucia koherencji i aktywności prozdrowotnej u kobiet w wieku emerytalnym

According to the forecast of the Statistics Poland (from 2024), the ageing process of society will progress for the years 2023–2060. The population of people aged 65 and over will increase to 11.8 million at the end of the forecast horizon and will constitute almost 40% of the total population. Ageing is a natural process, the consequence of which is an increase in the probability of occurrence of the age-related diseases. Limited physical fitness leads to increased dependence on the environment, deprivation of joy of life. Lack of a sense of meaning in life, stress as well as lack of support from loved ones, can affect the weakening of the immune system. Diseases of the circulatory system, neurological diseases, oncological diseases, and diseases of the musculoskeletal system dominate among the elderly. The leading goal of the idea of active ageing is to counteract social exclusion and health deterioration of seniors. The condition for healthy ageing is to maintain fitness through daily activity. In healthcare, preventive and prophylactic measures are taken, taking into account the mechanisms of normal ageing, learning how to positively shape its course. The task of intellectual, mental and physical activation is taken on by the Universities of the Third Age (UTW). In recent years, there has been an increase in the number of these institutions. Hopes are placed in them to stimulate the mobilization of older people to greater activity. The study was conducted at the University of the Third Age in Gdańsk. The UTW was established in 1979 by the Provincial Gerontological Center. It currently operates as a regular association. A total of 101 women of retirement age were examined, including 51 women who were UTW members. As a control group, 50 older women receiving a pension but not participating in UTW classes were examined. The posed research question was concerned with the search for psychosocial factors associated with the assessment of quality of life, taking into account the differences in these relationships between the UTW group and the control group. The results indicate a higher level of quality of life, sense of coherence, frequency of pro-health behaviors in the group of people participating in classes at the University of the Third Age. The factor that differentiates the groups the most is the sense of resourcefulness, i.e. internal resources and a pro-health attitude expressed in more frequent preventive behaviors. Factors associated with most dimensions of quality of life are the sense of coherence, sense of resourcefulness, sense of comprehensibility, sense of meaningfulness, positive mental attitudes, proper eating habits. The results of the conducted research indicate the effectiveness of an active way of spending time in the form of participating in classes of the University of the Third Age.