Exercise and Activity Participation in a Semi-rural Population: Interviews from a Welsh Parkinson's Disease Population

Title Exercise and Activity participation in a Semi-rural population: Interviews from a Welsh Parkinson’s Disease population Background It is suggested that physical activity and exercise have a protective effect towards the progression of deterioration with Parkinson’s Disease (PD) [1, 2, 3]. However engagement with formal exercise by the PD population within semi-rural Wales is limited. This study investigates present exercise and activity participation in this population to identify local profiles of engagement. Methods Semi-structured interviews were conducted through an iterative process with 7 participants with PD purposively selected via the Welsh Movement Disorder Network database. Ethical approval was gained. Data was analysed using thematic analysis. Results Three themes emerged. Activities : Participants engaged in leisure activities that fit into their lifestyles rather than formal PD based exercises, e.g. dancing, walking and swimming. Barriers : Pain, fatigue and reduced co-ordination were major causes of withdrawal from participation. Other barriers included PD-motor symptoms, fear of falling and negative attitudes. Enablers : Appropriate medication made greatest impact on participants’ ability to engage in activities. Further enablers were partners’ and friends’ encouragement, social camaraderie and positive attitudes. Conclusion Findings suggest that people within this population prefer more leisure-based activities within a social context normalising on-going disease management within daily life. By focusing on these forms of activities rather than formalised exercise programmes it may enhance activity engagement. Implications Healthcare Professionals should consider developing an ‘Index of Socially Orientated Activities’ that are local, accessible and relevant to their population’s needs to support activity engagement. Specialist support should also be available for specific problem-solving where physical difficulties interfere with ongoing participation. References [1] Ahmed, B.Y., 2008. Exercise as a neuroprotective mechanism in Parkinson’s Disease: Future treatment potential? British Journal of Neuroscience Nursing, 4 (11), pp.525-530 [2] Ahlskog, J.E., 2011. Does vigorous exercise have a neuroprotective effect in Parkinson disease? Neurology, 77, pp.288-294 [3] Caglar, A.T., Gurses, H. N., Mutluay, F. K., Kiziltan, G., 2005. Effects of home exercise on motor performance in patients with Parkinson’s disease. Clinical Rehabilitation, 19, pp.870-87