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Assessing physical activity levels in people living with a stoma
Bethany Grace Lowe1, Eman Alsaleh2, Holly Blake3
1special receiving unit, Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, Nottingham, England.
Abstract:
Physical activity is important for physical and mental health; however, people with a stoma commonly experience a reduction in physical activity following stoma formation. Further research into physical activity levels in people living with a stoma is necessary to determine which factors are associated with engagement in regular physical activity, and with inactivity.
Aim:
The primary aim of this study was to assess physical activity levels in adults living with a stoma in the community. The secondary aim was to investigate the relationship between activity levels, self-efficacy for exercise, perceived benefits and barriers to exercise, depression, body image and stoma-related quality of life.
Method:
A cross-sectional questionnaire survey was sent to healthy individuals living with a urostomy, ileostomy or colostomy, recruited from six stoma support groups in the East Midlands. The primary measure was physical activity levels; secondary measures were self-efficacy for exercise, perceived barriers and benefits to physical activity, depression, body image and stoma-related quality of life. Descriptive analysis of the data was undertaken using a computer analysis package.
Results:
The questionnaire was sent to 116 adults and completed by 94 adults, giving a response rate of 81%. Of the participants who answered the questions on levels of physical activity, 83% ( n =71/86) did not achieve government-recommended levels of physical activity. Less active participants perceived greater barriers to physical activity and had lower self-efficacy for exercise than participants who were more active. Reported physical activity was not associated with body image, depression or stoma-related quality of life.
Conclusion:
Most participants were physically inactive. Interventions that reduce barriers to exercise and support self-efficacy in people with a stoma can assist them to increase their physical activity levels, as well as reducing the risk of chronic disease associated with sedentary lifestyles.
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