The Relationships Among Self-Esteem, Exercise, and Self-Rated Health in Older Women

The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship among self-esteem, exercise and self-rated health and selected demographic factors in older women. The sample consisted of 43 older women who had participated in an exercise class in an urban setting. Bivariate association indicated a significant positive relationship among self-esteem, exercise, and self-rated health in older women. Elderly women who exercised, were white, and perceived themselves to be healthy had higher self-esteem in general. Self-rated health, ethnicity, exercise, and ability to get around accounted for 62% of the variance in self-esteem. This finding is of considerable importance since intervention through exercise may help to increase the elderly woman's self-esteem. Further, health professionals would do well to improve the perceptions of health in this group which may help to increase their self-esteem and give them the confidence and ability to cope with future health problems.