DISCRIMINATING BETWEEN PHYSICAL-ACTIVITY PARTICIPANTS AND NONPARTICIPANTS WITH CARDIOVASCULAR-DISEASE AMONG COMMUNITY-RESIDING OLDER ADULTS

The purpose of this study was to determine the extent to which specifi c physical and psychologic measures distinguish between those people w ith cardiovascular problems who participate in physical activity and t hose who do not. A discriminant function analysis revealed that those individuals with cardiovascular disease who participated in physical a ctivities were significantly younger, more likely to be male, assess t heir health as good, and had fewer illness symptoms and chronic condit ions. These subjects also had less difficulty with activities of daily living and dexterity tasks, had higher internal control, and were mor e satisfied with their lives. More research is needed to fully underst and how physical activity mitigates disease.