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A survey of exercise professionals’ barriers and facilitators to working with stroke survivors
Author(s) -
Condon Marie,
Guidon Marie
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
health and social care in the community
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.984
H-Index - 68
eISSN - 1365-2524
pISSN - 0966-0410
DOI - 10.1111/hsc.12517
Subject(s) - sss* , stroke (engine) , nonprobability sampling , medicine , psychology , physical therapy , nursing , population , environmental health , mechanical engineering , engineering
Abstract Stroke survivors ( SS s) are largely inactive despite the benefits of exercise. Exercise professionals ( EP s), skilled in exercise prescription and motivation, may have a role in promoting exercise among SS s. However, the number of EP s working with SS s is estimated to be low. This study aimed to investigate EP s’ opinions on working with SS s by rating their agreement of barriers and facilitators to working with SS s. The study also investigated EP s skills, interest and experience working with SS s and the relationship between EP s’ barriers and facilitators with their training on stroke. A descriptive cross‐sectional study was conducted using a researcher‐designed online survey between October and December 2015. Purposive sampling was used to survey EP s on the Register of Exercise Professionals in Ireland ( n = 277). The response rate was 31% (87/277). Only 22% (19/86) of EP s had experience working with SS s. The primary barriers rated by EP s included insufficient training on psychological problems post‐stroke (84%; 61/73), unsuitable equipment for SS s (69%; 50/73) and the level of supervision SS s require (56%; 41/73). The primary facilitators rated included access to suitable equipment (97%; 69/71), practical (100%; 71/71) and theoretical training (93%; 66/71) on stroke. Respondents with no training on stroke were significantly more likely to agree that insufficient training on psychological problems post‐stroke and lack of experience were barriers. Seventy‐six per cent of EP s (58/76) were interested in one‐to‐one exercise sessions with SS s but only 53% (40/76) were interested in group sessions. Eighty‐two per cent of EP s (62/76) rated their motivational skills as good or very good but 42% (32/76) indicated having only acceptable skills dealing with psychological problems. Results indicate that EP s are interested in working with SS s despite limited experience and practical barriers. Training opportunities on stroke need to be developed; taking into account EP s’ barriers, facilitators and skills along with access to suitable equipment.