Exploring How Tai Chi Groups Influence Community-Dwelling Elders’ Self-Rated Health : A Study of Tsuen Wan District in Hong Kong
Lee, Emilie Cheuk Sze (2017)
Lee, Emilie Cheuk Sze
Jyväskylän ammattikorkeakoulu
2017
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Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2017060612542
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2017060612542
Tiivistelmä
This study aimed to explore why community-dwelling elders chose to practise in Tai Chi groups rather than individually and how it affected their self-rated health. The purposes of this study were to promote Tai Chi groups as an intervention by community nurses who work with elders, as well as to investigate the potential benefits of Tai Chi groups in preventing social isolation. 12 community-dwelling elders from Tsuen Wan District of Hong Kong chosen by snowball sampling were interviewed in August 2016. A semi-structured questionnaire which was modified from 12-Item Short Form Health Survey was used as an interview guide. All participants have practised in Tai Chi groups for more than three months. Raw data was coded with thematic analysis method. The findings lean towards a positive influence of Tai Chi groups on its participants. Participants rated their self-rated health better after joining Tai Chi groups. They all experienced changes in health and social life positively. To conclude, Tai Chi groups are found to be beneficial to the community-dwelling elders in Hong Kong. They may be a useful clinical intervention to combat social isolation and depression. Possible future research would be insightful to extend this study to be a comparison between Chinese and Western. For instance, how self-rated health of community-dwelling elders from different cultural background is influenced by participating in Tai Chi groups.