Abstract
Background
Regular physical activity (PA) reduces risk factors for chronic disease. This novel study evaluates self-reported engagement with PA in recently discharged patients, identified as having low PA levels, who agreed to participate in an in-patient behaviour change intervention.
Method
This exploratory study invited hospital in-patients, who were classified as ‘moderately inactive’ or ‘inactive’, to participate in a brief individual physiotherapy-led motivational interviewing (MI) behavioural change intervention. Patients were encouraged to set individual exercise and activity goals, and an appropriate programme referral was identified and agreed upon.
Results
Three hundred and forty-two of 526 patients, who were screened between January 2017 and March 2018, were classified ‘inactive’ or ‘moderately inactive’. Seventy-seven percent of patients consented to participate in the brief MI intervention (n = 58 ‘moderately active’, n = 206 ‘inactive’). One hundred percent participants who received the brief intervention agreed to attend a PA programme. At telephone follow-up, 66% self-reported engagement in community exercise or independent PA initiatives.
Conclusion
This exploratory study demonstrates that a brief, MI-facilitated, behaviour change intervention is feasible and has the potential to aid PA engagement for hospital patients with low PA levels upon discharge from hospital. Considering that the ‘first-step’ with engagement in PA is often the biggest challenge for patients, this initiative has promise to improve PA behaviour and could be rolled out across the National Health Service (NHS).
Abbreviations:
PA (physical activity), MI (motivational interviewing), NHS (National Health Service), UK (United Kingdom), NCD (non-communicable diseases), HCP (health care professionals), CQUIN (Commissioning for Quality and Innovation), KCH (King's College Hospital), EPR (Electronic Patient Records), GP-PAQ (general practice physical activity questionnaire), SMART (specific, measurable, appropriate, realistic and timely), GP (general practitioner)