Abstract
The aging of the population represents a major national and international challenge. In response to demographic, economic and, above all, social challenges, a number of public health policy plans have been implemented. Prevention is becoming an essential tool for improving the autonomy and well-being of the older population. This thesis analyzes how older adults are involved in these schemes, focusing mainly on the topic of physical activity, a crucial lever put forward by public policies. In addition to face-to-face prevention workshops, this research also examines workshops held via videoconferencing in a local area: Burgundy-Franche-Comté. At a time when digital technology is developing in a variety of sectors and for a variety of audiences, we need to understand how the field of prevention can take advantage of it, and what the potential levers for implementation are, in order to reduce territorial, social and health inequalities.During the health crisis caused by covid 19, Mutualité-Française Bourgogne-Franche-Comté (MFBFC) had to adapt its various preventive health actions to the exceptional situation. To ensure the continuity of its programs, MFBFC had to reorganize its prevention and health promotion offer by setting up videoconference workshops, mainly for the older adults. This radical transformation of intervention methods with autonomous older adults was not without raising a number of questions, which guided the emergence of this Cifre thesis. To what extent is the public's involvement in preventive-health initiatives, particularly those involving physical activity, affected (positively or negatively) by these transformations? Is the quality of this commitment linked to particular social configurations? Does the digitization of workshops have an impact on the quality of the preventive process? Does it help to reduce or increase social inequalities in health? How are the social bonds and interactions generated by these workshops affected by the use of digital tools?The aim of this PhD project is to understand the involvement (or otherwise) of older adults in preventive health workshops using physical activity via videoconferencing, with regard to their trajectories and social configurations. To carry out this work, the concept of déprise (Barthe et al., 1988, 1990; Clément and Membrado, 2010; Caradec, 2007, 2018) was mobilized to understand the mechanisms of enrolment in prevention workshops for health through PA. The concept of ageism (Butler, 1969) was also used to highlight the obstacles faced by older people. In addition, the field of prevention is explored through a gender lens, given the predominance of women in this sector. To gather the data, a mixed method combining observations, interviews and questionnaires was adopted. Thus, 40 interviews were conducted with beneficiaries of preventive workshops for health through physical activity - autonomous people, living at home, aged over 60 - in person and by videoconference, and with the professionals involved. In addition, 223 questionnaires were collected from workshop participants. This thesis first provides an overview of the individuals involved in the prevention workshops, then explores the differentiated trajectories of physical activity practice among workshop participants. Finally, it presents the levers and limits of the use of videoconferencing in prevention workshops for health through physical activity.