Análise dos efeitos do exercício físico na qualidade de vida e na memória de usuários de drogas - um estudo de intervenção

Abstract

This study has aimed to evaluate improvements in the cardiorespiratory condition and the perception of life quality and memory of alcohol and other drugs users, under treatment in a Therapeutic Community, after being submitted to a Physical Exercise Program (PEP), carried out in eight weeks. The participants (n = 33) were divided into two groups, starting from their voluntary accede to the PEP: voluntary group (n = 19), those who participated in the PEP and the Control group (n = 14) of those who did not participate. The evaluations of mass, VO2max and perception of life quality and memory were carried out in two moments of the study: at the beginning and at the end of the eight weeks of the PEP period. According to the results of the evaluations, the individuals who participated in the PEP have achieved significant improvements in all variables evaluated. The increase in VO2max in the group that participated of the PEP was, approximately, 13 times higher when compared to the increase of the Control group. In the memory evaluation, comparing the beginning and the end of the intervention, the participants of the PEP obtained, approximately, 16% of gain when compared to the Control group. In the perception of life quality, the differences were, on average, 16% higher for the group that participated of PEP, reaching 21% in the domain related to the perception of the environment where they were. It is concluded that a PEP is a tool of the great help in the treatment of alcohol and other drugs users, may collaborating in the rehabilitation improvements of the cognitive processes of learning and memory and perception of the life quality for dependents in treatment. These improvements provided by the PEP can accelerate positive therapeutic outcomes and contribute to the maintenance of the individuals' sobriety during treatment.