PERCEIVED BARRIERS AND FACILITATORS TO EXERCISE ADHERENCE IN PEOPLE WITH PARKINSON'S DISEASE

Year 2025, Volume: 10 Issue: 2, 251 - 266, 31.08.2025

İrem Akgün , Harun Yaşar , Ümit Duruk , Semra Oğuz , İlkşan Demirbüken

https://doi.org/10.47115/jshs.1696263

Abstract

Aim: The aim of this study was to examine the barriers and facilitators affecting participation in exercise programs among individuals with early-stage Parkinson’s disease.
Method: This qualitative study included a focus group of 13 Parkinson’s disease patients. Interviews were conducted by preparing semi-structured questions between 01.03.2021 and 01.05.2021. Sessions were recorded on online platforms (zoom, skype). Interviews were transcribed verbatim after the meeting and analysed using content analysis to identify key themes related to exercise adherence. This analysis quantified qualitative data by aggregating frequently occurring words and themes, revealing several significant factors influencing adherence to exercise programs.
Results: Overall, participants identified 15 barriers and 8 facilitators to exercise adherence. Four main themes were identified describing the factors that both hindered and facilitated exercise adherence. These themes consisted of body structure and function, participation, personal factors, and environmental factors. The top barriers were showing Parkinson’s motor symptoms, previous low level of physical activity or low participation, transportation, and discomfort at seeing peers' symptoms progress while exercising in a group. On the other hand, awareness about the positive effects of exercise on Parkinson’s disease motor and non-motor symptoms, education about the benefits of exercise, exercising with an expert, and professional support for exercise motivated exercise adherence in Parkinson’s disease patients.
Conclusions and Recommendations: Exercise adherence is impacted by motor symptoms. However, educating patients about the benefits of exercise and providing regular guidance from physiotherapists were found to motivate exercise adherence by increasing patient belief that their motor symptoms will decrease.

Keywords

Barriers , Facilitators , Exercise , Parkinson’s Disease

Parkinson Hastalığı Olan Kişilerde Egzersize Bağlılığın Önündeki Algılanan Engeller ve Kolaylaştırıcılar

Abstract

Amaç: Bu çalışmanın amacı, erken evre Parkinson hastalığı olan bireylerin egzersiz programlarına katılımını etkileyen engelleri ve kolaylaştırıcı faktörleri incelemekti.
Yöntem: Bu nitel çalışma 13 Parkinson hastalarından oluşan bir odak grubu içermektedir. Görüşmeler 01.03.2021-01.05.2021 tarihleri arasında yarı yapılandırılmış sorular hazırlanarak gerçekleştirilmiştir. Oturumlar çevrimiçi platformlarda (zoom, skype) kaydedilmiştir. Görüşmeler toplantıdan sonra kelimesi kelimesine yazıya dökülmüş ve egzersize bağlılıkla ilgili temel temaları belirlemek için içerik analizi kullanılarak analiz edilmiştir. Bu analiz, sıkça geçen kelimeleri ve temaları bir araya getirerek nitel verileri nicelleştirmiş ve egzersiz programlarına uyumu etkileyen birkaç önemli faktörü ortaya çıkarmıştır.
Bulgular: Genel olarak, katılımcılar egzersize bağlılığın önünde 15 engel ve 8 kolaylaştırıcı tanımlamıştır. Egzersize uyumu hem engelleyen hem de kolaylaştıran faktörleri tanımlayan dört ana tema belirlenmiştir. Bu temalar vücut yapısı ve işlevi, katılım, kişisel faktörler ve çevresel faktörlerden oluşmuştur. En önemli engeller Parkinson'un motor semptomlarını göstermek, önceki düşük fiziksel aktivite seviyesi veya düşük katılım, ulaşım ve bir grup içinde egzersiz yaparken akranlarının semptomlarının ilerlediğini görmekten duyulan rahatsızlıktı. Öte yandan, egzersizin Parkinson hastalığı motor ve motor dışı semptomları üzerindeki olumlu etkileri hakkında farkındalık, egzersizin faydaları hakkında eğitim, bir uzmanla egzersiz yapma ve egzersiz için profesyonel destek Parkinson hastalarında egzersize bağlılığı motive etmiştir.
Sonuçlar ve Öneriler: Egzersize bağlılık motor semptomlardan etkilenmektedir. Bununla birlikte, hastaları egzersizin faydaları konusunda eğitmenin ve fizyoterapistlerden düzenli rehberlik sağlamanın, hastaların motor semptomlarının azalacağına dair inançlarını artırarak egzersize uyumu motive ettiği bulunmuştur.

Keywords

Engeller , Kolaylaştırıcılar , Egzersiz , Parkinson Hastalığı

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