A Systematic Review of the Effects of Physical Activity on Depression in Community-dwelling Older Adults: Using the Neuman System Model

Abstract

A systematic review was conducted by applying the Neuman System Model to studies on the effect of physical activity on depression in community-dwelling older adults in Korea. It was performed to analyze research methods and tools and to make recommendations for future research. We retrieved 18 studies from a total of 16 domestic and international databases published between January 1, 2010 and April 17, 2021. Physical activity had a statistically significant effect on depression reduction in older adults in 17 studies, but had no statistically significant effect in one study. Regression analysis was the most frequently used statistical technique for analyzing the studies (66.7%), and in terms of research methods, 77.8% of the 18 studies were cross-sectional, implying that the possibility of reverse causality could not be excluded. This systematic review concluded that more active longitudinal studies are needed to gain a better understanding of the effect of physical activity on depression in older adults in Korea. Additionally, it is recommended that future studies measuring physical activity in older adults may consider using objective tools such as the International Physical Activity Questionnaire and the Metabolic Equivalent Task rather than fragmented questionnaires or questions to improve the study's validity.