MEDICAL AREA 

Medicina dello Sport 2012 March;65(1):85-98

Copyright © 2012 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English, Italian

Identification and prioritization biopsychosocial factors affecting sport participation of elderly men

Sheikh M., Afshari J., Nikravan A.

Department of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran

Sporting participation plays a critical role in establishing a mental and physical balance to pass the aging period. In order to have a happy society enjoying suitable health factors, it is quite necessary to conduct well-objectified research about the sporting participators of elderly people. This research aims at presenting a conceptual model for recognizing main dimension of sporting participation of elderly people. In this regard, we will study the importance value of each factor. Therefore, reviewing previous researches the effects of 32 influential variables were identified. Then, the first questionnaire was distributed among professors, athletes and sport experts to identify 19 relevant variable affecting sport participation of elderly people. In the next step the second questionnaire was distributed among elderly Man athletes in Tehran; the data was collected and, factor analysis was used to identify main effective factors. Furthermore, to rank the variables, the third questionnaire was prepared and the outcome data on sport participation of elderly man was recognized by GAHP method. The result of this research is a useful guideline for officials, coaches, professors and elderly people to have a better understanding of effective factors on sport participation of elderly people and the importance of each variable.