Sammendrag
Group support and a sense of success and security are important factors for continued exercising. A qualitative study
Lomundal, B PhD cand., Steinsbekk, A PhD
In an open prospective observational study with 30 patients with moderate to severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), we found that 80% still exercised three times per week three years after the end of a two year pulmonary rehabilitation program (PR) with three weekly one hour exercise sessions and 32 hours of education. The aim of the present study was to investigate why they still exercised regularly.
Seventeen of the participants were interviewed in depth using both focus groups and individual in-depth, semi-structured interviews.
All the interviewees that still exercised reported that the social process of being in the same group for two years were an important factor. To have the opportunity to discuss whatever they found important with both the health-care professionals and the other participants made them feel more secure. The knowledge they had gained on how to exercise, how to handle exacerbations and to experience that breathlessness during exercise was not harmful were also contributing factors. This knowledge was reported to give increased self-confidence. The patients reporting not to exercise after the program said exacerbations and lung infections to be the reasons. Most of the patients reported social support from friends and family to be important, both regarding practical issues and psychological back up. We conclude that participating in a two year PR program that focuses on self-management likely promotes group support and a sense of success and security that lead to self-confidence and adherence to continued exercise.
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