Qualitative Description of Exercise Perceptions and Experiences Among People With Human Immunodeficiency Virus in the High-Intensity Exercise to Attenuate Limitations and Train Habits Study.
Harriet Fridah Adhiambo, Paul Cook, Kristine M Erlandson and 6 others
PMID 38447065WHAT IT FOUND
Most older adults with HIV stopped exercising due to practical life changes like relocation or cost, but their current barriers were physical pain, fatigue, and medication side effects.
Providers often encouraged activity, but participants frequently perceived this advice as pressure rather than support.
Key findings
01Participants primarily cited narrative-mind reasons for stopping exercise, such as relocation, work commitments, and weight gain, while current barriers were intuitive-mind issues like pain, fatigue, and comorbidities.
02Sixty percent of participants discussed physical activity with healthcare providers, but this feedback was rarely received positively, with some describing it as pressure that deterred them from care.
03Medication side effects, including neuropathy and lipodystrophy, were reported by some participants as significant barriers to staying active, though others stated HIV status did not deter them.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The sample was small (n=30) and geographically limited to metropolitan areas in Denver and Seattle. The majority of participants were White and male, so findings may not generalize to Black Americans, women, or rural populations. The study is cross-sectional at baseline, so it captures perceptions at one point in time rather than tracking changes in behavior over the full intervention period.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest. The study was funded by grants, and the parent trial is registered as NCT04550676.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that patients who report low motivation lack understanding of the benefits of exercise. The study found that participants clearly understood the long-term advantages (narrative mind) but were often blocked by immediate physical sensations like pain or fatigue (intuitive mind) or practical life changes.