Client and therapist experiences with exercise programmes for early-mid stage Parkinson’s disease and Huntington’s disease
Quinn L, Khalil H, Jones K, Richardson S, Rosser A, Morris H, Busse M
Cardiff University, Department of Physiotherapy, Cardiff University
Background and aims: Physiotherapists (PT) and occupational therapists (OT) frequently prescribe home exercise programs for individuals with Parkinson’s Disease (PD) and Huntington’s Disease (HD), however little is known about clients’ perceptions of such programs and any barriers that may affect participation and compliance. This study aimed to capture the attitudes and experiences of people with early-mid stage HD and PD, and with therapists who have experience in neuro-degenerative diseases. Method: An exploratory, qualitative design was used. A purposeful sample of PTs (n=8) was recruited through the local Physiotherapy Research Network. Five individuals with HD and five with PD (n=10) were recruited from specialist research databases. Two focus groups were conducted for the therapists; individual interviews were conducted for clients with HD and PD. The decision as to when sufficient participants had been involved was related to when theoretical saturation was achieved. All conversations were digitally recorded and transcribed verbatim, and transcriptions were analyzed using grounded theory and validated through researcher triangulation. Results: Concepts were categorized according to emerging themes and the findings were verified by participants. Therapists and participants believed that exercise is beneficial for people with PD and HD. Both groups cited several barriers to engagement in exercise programs, which included disease-specific impairments, individual safety, and the location at which exercising takes place (home vs. center-based). Therapists specifically felt that a patient’s cognition could affect their ability to participate in an independent exercise program. Therapists and clients offered a number of different strategies to overcome barriers to exercise.
Support
This study was funded by chief medical officer for Wales research budget with additional support from the physiotherapy research society.
References
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