Exploring influences on physical activity levels in stroke survivors.
Research type
Research Study
Full title
An exploration of factors influencing physical activity levels in community-dwelling chronic stroke survivors.
IRAS ID
120641
Contact name
Christopher Mercer
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Sussex NHS Research Consortium
Research summary
Stroke is the third-leading cause of death in the UK and many stroke survivors remain quite disabled. Research suggests that participation in regular physical activity (PA) is linked to a reduction in stroke risk and improvements in fitness, strength, function, balance, body composition, mental wellbeing and enjoyment of life. However, many stroke survivors are not active enough to reap these benefits and in fact are extremely unfit. The barriers people who have had a stroke encounter to being more active have not been extensively studied in the UK. A greater understanding of beliefs relating to PA and the barriers which stroke survivors face in being more active is essential in designing effective stroke and community services and guiding public health policy.
The proposed study will look at factors influencing levels of PA in people who have had a stroke at least 6 months ago and who now live at home. Participants will be asked to complete a questionnaire about their current levels of PA, their beliefs relating to PA, and the most common barriers that stop them being more physically active. Data from the questionnaires will be stored in a de-identified format. People completing the questionnaire will be asked to indicate if they would also be willing to participate in a focus group. Up to four focus groups with 3-4 participants will further explore the questionnaire responses, particularly the barriers to being more active, using a set of semi-structured discussion prompts. The principal investigator will aim to make sure that each group has people of different racial backgrounds, ages, and includes people who have had a range of stroke types and severity. Audio recordings will be taken during the focus groups to allow for common discussion themes to be identified and grouped together.
REC name
London - Brighton & Sussex Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
13/LO/1870
Date of REC Opinion
30 Dec 2013
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion