Three-Year Follow-Up of a Hybrid Adapted Physical Activity Program Including Telehealth in Comparison to In-Person...

Area of Science:

• Cardiorespiratory fitness
• Non-communicable diseases
• Adapted physical activity

Background:

• Adapted physical activity (APA) programs improve outcomes for non-communicable diseases.
• Access barriers limit participation in traditional face-to-face programs.
• Hybrid models integrating telehealth may enhance accessibility.

Purpose of the Study:

• Evaluate the acceptability and effectiveness of a 3-month hybrid APA program.
• Compare hybrid APA to usual face-to-face care.
• Assess the long-term persistence of benefits up to 36 months.

Main Methods:

• A 3-month hybrid APA program (onsite then videoconference/home exercises) was compared to a historical cohort receiving standard onsite care.
• Twenty patients in the hybrid group, 100 in the control group.
• Measurements included physical activity, cardiorespiratory capacity, body composition, adherence, and satisfaction at multiple time points.

Main Results:

• The hybrid program demonstrated high adherence and acceptability.
• Significant improvements in cardiorespiratory capacity and self-reported physical activity were observed.
• Benefits persisted up to 33 months post-program for the 6-minute walk test, though dropout rates were high.

Conclusions:

• Hybrid APA programs are feasible, well-accepted, and yield durable, clinically meaningful gains.
• These outcomes match conventional rehabilitation, suggesting telehealth integration is a viable option.
• Larger randomized trials are needed to confirm findings and address high dropout rates.