Background: Walking in water is a method that likely increases happiness levels. Therefore, this study aims to determine the effect of group walking in water on the happiness levels of elderly women.
Methods: This field trial study was conducted on 62 elderly women in Gorgan city in 2020. The subjects were selected using the available sampling method and then randomly allocated into intervention and control groups. In the intervention group, a walking program was carried out for 8 weeks, with 3 sessions of 20 minutes each week. No intervention was performed in the control group. The happiness levels of both groups were evaluated before and after 8 weeks using the Oxford questionnaire, which has confirmed validity and reliability. Tests such as chi-square, t-test, Mann-Whitney, and Wilcoxon tests were used to analyze the data. The significance level was set at 0.05.
Results: The mean and standard deviation of age in the intervention and control groups were 64.87 ± 3.62 and 64.12 ± 3.11, respectively. The average happiness level of elderly women increased from 39.10 in the intervention group to 76.74 after walking in the water (P = 0.0001). The average happiness level in the control group increased from 39.48 before the intervention to 41.16 (P = 0.05).
Conclusion: Based on the results of this research, group walking in water increases the happiness levels of the elderly. It is a suitable method of physical activity that is well-received, particularly for those with executive ability. It is recommended to encourage elderly individuals with this ability to engage in water walking.
