Original article
Are the Barriers for Physical Activity Practice Equal for All Peripheral Artery Disease Patients?

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apmr.2014.09.009Get rights and content

Abstract

Objective

To investigate barriers to physical activity related to the sociodemographic comorbidities and clinical variables of patients with intermittent claudication.

Design

Cross-sectional study.

Participants

The medical histories of patients (N=145) aged ≥50 years with intermittent claudication were examined.

Interventions

Not applicable.

Main Outcome Measures

Sociodemographic data (sex, race, level of education, socioeconomic status, marital status), comorbidities (overweight, hypertension, dyslipidemia, diabetes, currently smoking, heart disease), and clinical variables (initial claudication distance, total walking distance, ankle-brachial index). Information on personal and environmental barriers was obtained by questionnaire.

Results

Low economic status was most associated with “being afraid of falling” (odd ratios [OR]=2.22; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.08–4.54). Low education level was most associated with “lack of street pedestrian crossing” (OR=3.34; 95% CI, 1.48–7.52). Diabetes was associated with lack of energy (OR=3.38; 95% CI, 1.68–6.79) and other medical conditions (eg, arthritis, angina) (OR=3.44; 95% CI, 1.65–7.16). Ankle brachial index was associated with “some difficulty in getting to a place where physical activity can be performed” (OR = 2.75; 95% CI, 1.22–6.21). Walking capacity was strongly associated with barriers relating to leg pain (OR=7.39; 95% CI, 1.66–32.88).

Conclusions

Older patients, those with a low education level, patients with diabetes, low ankle brachial index, and those with a lower walking capacity are more likely to experience barriers to physical activity.

Section snippets

Recruitment and inclusion criteria

Patients with peripheral artery disease were recruited at a tertiary center specializing in vascular disease. The patients were included in this study if they met the following criteria: (1) aged between 50 and 80 years; (2) ankle-brachial index ≤.90 at rest; (3) intermittent claudication symptoms; (4) no mental disability as identified using the mini-mental questionnaire14; and (5) agreed to volunteer for the study. A total of 145 patients were deemed eligible for the study. All subjects were

Results

The general characteristics of the patients are shown in table 1. Most patients were men, with low levels of education. The most prevalent comorbid conditions were hypertension and dyslipidemia, and the least frequently reported was currently smoking.

The barriers to physical activity most frequently reported were “lack of physical energy” (50%) and “lack of green areas” (65%), and the barrier least frequently reported was “have urinary incontinency” (16%).

The associations between the barriers

Discussion

The main results of the present study indicate that low economic status, low education level, diabetes, low ankle brachial index, and lower walking capacity are associated with a number of barriers to physical activity in patients with intermittent claudication.

Patients with low economic status reported more frequently that barriers to engaging in physical activity were “needing to rest because of leg pain” and “being afraid of falling.” In addition, these patients also reported a “lack of

Conclusions

Older patients with claudication, those with low levels of education, low economic status, diabetes, low ankle brachial index and walking capacity are more likely to experience barriers to physical activity.

Suppliers

  • a.

    Inbrasport ATL treadmill; Inbrasport, Rua Santos Dumont, 1766/01 St. Gerard, CEP 90230-240 Porto Alegre. RS, Brazil.

  • b.

    IBM Corp, 1 New Orchard Rd, Armonk, NY 10504-1722.

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  • Cited by (0)

    Supported by Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) and Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq).

    Disclosures: none.

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