Health promotion among older adults in Austria: a qualitative study.
AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
To determine the types of attitudes to health promotion among older Austrians.


BACKGROUND
Health promotion in old age becomes increasingly important in the current period of demographic transition. Interventions are likely to be successful if they take the attitude of older persons into consideration. There may be several types of attitudes to health promotion among older adults.


DESIGN
Cross-sectional qualitative study.


METHODS
Semi-structured interviews were conducted in a purposive sample consisting of 36 home-dwelling older persons from local communities in the federal province of Salzburg, Austria. Data were analysed using qualitative content analysis according to Mayring and subsequent construction of types.


RESULTS
There are three main types of attitudes to health promotion. 'Health promoters through everyday activities' considered domestic work and walks to be sufficient in keeping up their health. Fitness-oriented persons practised sports of some type. Users of complementary methods practised such methods to some degree. These types of attitudes could be further differentiated according to their outcome expectations. In addition to benefits for health, socialising was also an important outcome. Physical decline may reduce a fitness-oriented attitude, whereas encouragement by others may trigger it.


CONCLUSION
Older adults have various attitudes to health promotion, but these are not immutable.


RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE
Health promotion programmes that are not restricted to a narrow focus on health but provide the opportunity to socialise may support older adults in maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
['Boggatz|Thomas|T|http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8107-7955', 'Meinhart|Christoph Matthias|CM|']
D000328:Adult D000368:Aged D001294:Attitude to Health D001317:Austria D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies D005260:Female D015577:Geriatric Assessment D015438:Health Behavior D006266:Health Education D006293:Health Promotion D006801:Humans D008297:Male D036301:Qualitative Research D012919:Social Behavior
health promotion attitude to health aged qualitative research