Authors (including presenting author) :
Cheung HL (1), Luk TW (1), Ip TC (1), Chan WC (1), Chiang KH (1)
Affiliation :
(1)Physiotherapy department, Shatin Hospital
Introduction :
Physiotherapy Tele-care program was implemented in palliative day care center (PDCC) since end of March 2020, as outbreak of COVID-19 in Hong Kong led to suspension of service. Exercise prescription was one of the major roles in Physiotherapy Tele-care program. “HA Go” and use of “video clips or links” were commonest means of exercise prescription in physiotherapy Tele-care program. Patients’ adherence to exercise had crucial training effects on patients’ mobility and general health outcome. Factors affecting exercise adherence were multi-dimensional including physical, psychological, social and environmental components.
Objectives :
To evaluate patients’ exercise adherence with different means of exercise prescription and explore bio-psychosocial factors of low exercise adherence
Methodology :
Physiotherapy Tele-care program was implemented during 1st and 2nd wave of COVID-19 pandemic. Questionnaire was conducted in June – July 2020. The questionnaire was to evaluate patients’ exercise adherence for patients with exercise prescribed by physiotherapy Tele-care program.
Exercise adherence was self-reported by patients in 4 categories, “< 26%”, “26-50%”, “51-75%” and “>75%”. Exploratory question was conducted for those patients with low exercise adherence (< 51%), so as to explore causative factors for low exercise adherence. Other bio-psychosocial information was collected and retrieved from Tele-care program.
Result & Outcome :
Physiotherapy Tele-care program was implemented from 26th March to 29th May 2020. 105 patients were recruited and 91 of them (86.7%) had exercise prescription. 45 questionnaires were conducted after patients attended PDCC in June – July 2020.
Exercise was prescribed to 25 patients (55.6%) and 13 patients (28.9%) via “video clips or links” and “HA Go” respectively. 3 out of 13 patients could not install “HA Go” successfully. 7 patients (15.5%) or their relatives did not have smartphone and exercise was prescribed to them by verbal instruction. Patients’ exercise adherence via “video clips or links” and “HA Go” was high and similar. They were 72% and 70% respectively in “51-75%” and “>75%” categories. Patients’ exercise adherence via “verbal prescription” was lowest, 71.4% in “< 26%” category.
15 out of these 45 patients had low exercise adherence (< 51%). Bio-psychosocial factors of low exercise adherence in these 15 patients included “poor social support” (40%), “perceived barriers” (40%), “no smartphone” (33.3%) and “physical symptoms (26.7%).
In conclusion, exercise prescription to patients via “video clips or links” or “HA Go” in physiotherapy Tele-care program in PDCC demonstrated adequate exercise adherence. Equip of smartphone would facilitate exercise prescription to patients in Tele-care program and enhance their exercise adherence in future.
