Article

The benefits of exercise for reducing disability in people with
Parkinson disease (PD) are becoming more evident. Optimal benefit, however,
requires regular and sustained participation. Factors associated with engaging in
regular exercise have received little scientific scrutiny in people with PD.
The purpose of this study was to explore factors associated with
exercise behavior in patients with PD using the International Classification of
Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) as a guiding framework. DESIGN: This was
a cross-sectional study. METHODS: The participants in this study were 260
patients with PD from 4 institutions. Participants were designated as
"exercisers" or "nonexercisers" based on responses to the Stages of Readiness to
Exercise Questionnaire. Exercise status was validated using the Physical Activity
Scale for the Elderly and an activity monitor. Factors potentially associated
with exercise behavior included measures of body structure and function,
activity, participation, environmental factors, and personal factors. Their
relative contributions were analyzed using logistic regression and quantified
with odds ratios. RESULTS: One hundred sixty-four participants (63%) were
designated as exercisers. Participants with high self-efficacy were more than
twice as likely to engage in regular exercise than those with low self-efficacy
(adjusted odds ratio=2.34, 95% confidence interval=1.30-4.23). College educated
and older participants also were more likely to exercise. Disabling influences of
impairments, activity limitations, and participation restrictions were not
associated with exercise behavior. LIMITATIONS: The cross-sectional nature of the
study limited the ability to make causal inferences. CONCLUSIONS: Self-efficacy,
rather than disability, appears to be strongly associated with whether
ambulatory, community-dwelling people with PD exercise regularly. The results of
this study suggest that physical therapists should include strategies to increase
exercise self-efficacy when designing patient intervention programs for patients
with PD.

Langue : ANGLAIS