Pedometer walking program for ACHD patients
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Does a pedometer-based walking programme affect exercise capacity and quality of life in sedentary adults with congenital heart disease?
IRAS ID
232271
Contact name
Lynda Shaughnessy
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Cardiff University
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 0 months, 5 days
Research summary
This study is designed to look at whether a low impact exercise programme such as walking can improve the amount of exercise people born with a heart condition (congenital heart disease) can achieve. It is also looking at if the walking programme improves their quality of life and satisfaction with life.
There is current research information in the literature that suggests that there are many health benefits linked to regular physical activity however some people with congenital heart disease do not perform any physical activity. Sometimes this is believed to be that due to their heart conditions they cannot perform physical activity. Also in many cases moderate or high impact exercise could be difficult for some individuals with congenital heart disease to perform as with this type of physical activity they may experience symptoms of heart failure including breathlessness.
This project will evaluate an individualised walking programme aimed at encouraging people who would not usually participate in physical activity to become more active. It gives them realistic targets (step counts) and then after 12 weeks of increasing the step targets by 10% each week looking to see if there has been any benefit on the amount of exercise they can do; their quality of life and satisfaction with life and any improvement in their exercise ability.
At the end of the programme there will be semi-structured interviews. The researcher will ask questions to a selection of the participants to record their experiences of the study and to find motivators to encourage more people with congenital heart disease to become active in the future.
REC name
South Central - Hampshire B Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
18/SC/0373
Date of REC Opinion
11 Jul 2018
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion