Social Sciences and Humanities · Jun 30, 2026
A Study on Exercise and Health-Related Quality of Life Among Community-Dwelling Older Adults
By Zhang Y, Ruibin D
Objective This study aims to investigate the physical and mental health effects of recreational physical activity on the older adult population. Methods A cross-sectional questionnaire survey was conducted with adults aged 65 and over in an administrative district of Kaohsiung City, Taiwan, China. A total of 250 questionnaires were distributed via convenience sampling in public parks, with 237 returned and 229 valid responses included in the final analysis. The instrument was adapted from the validated scale developed by Hsiao (2003), covering exercise behaviour, frequency of outpatient visits, health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and demographic information. The 36-item HRQoL scale comprises the Physical Component Summary (PCS) and Mental Component Summary (MCS), with good internal consistency (Cronbach’s α = 0.81). Data were analysed using SPSS 20.0 with descriptive statistics, independent samples t-tests and one-way ANOVA, with significance set at α = 0.05. Results In total, 38.86% of participants engaged in physical activity 1–2 days per week, and 31.44% exercised 5 or more days per week. The most common activity types were walking, jogging and brisk walking, and the primary venues were parks (29.69%) and schools (25.33%). Overall, 44.54% of participants had more than 16 outpatient visits per year, with higher utilisation among those with chronic conditions. For HRQoL, social functioning scored highest (M = 70.15, SD = 34.05), followed by role-emotional (M = 68.97, SD = 28.57). Participants aged 75–79 scored significantly higher on PCS than those aged 65–69. Educational attainment was significantly associated with both PCS and MCS scores. Conclusions Older adults in the study area show high willingness to participate in physical activity, and social interaction through exercise may support mental well-being. Targeted policy initiatives are needed to promote regular physical activity and optimise community exercise resources for older populations.