Adherence to Home Exercise Programmes and its Associated Factors among Patients Receiving Physiotherapy

Abstract

Objective:  Home exercise programmes (HEPs) ensure the enhancement of therapeutic gains and enable patients assume responsibility for managing their conditions. This study investigated patients’ adherence to HEPs, determined its association with their personal characteristics and identified factors influencing their engagement.

Methods:  A cross-sectional design was used to recruit 139 consenting patients who completed self-report questionnaires. Data were analysed via descriptive and inferential statistics.

​Results:  Most participants, 105 (75.5%) were non-adherent to HEPs whilst 34 (24.5%) were adherent. HEP adherence had significant associations with age (p<0.001), sex (p=0.001) and educational status (p=0.048). There were significant negative relationships (p<0.05) between HEP adherence and these influential factors; fatigue, forgetfulness, pain, deeming exercises as injurious, exercises perceived as less beneficial and need for physical assistance. A significant positive relationship (p=0.038) between HEP adherence and family/ friend support was also established.

Conclusion:  Adherence to HEPs was revealed to be poor in this study. Older, female and less/uneducated patients displayed a high tendency of non-adherence. Several factors which exhibited patients’ challenges were revealed to have substantial negative influences on their HEP adherence. Social support from patients’ family/friends was linked to facilitating HEP adherence.