What Motivates Older Sedentary People Living With HIV in the United States to Participate in an Exercise Trial? A Qualitative Study.
Evelyn Iriarte, Allison R Webel, Paul F Cook and 4 others
PMID 39718367WHAT IT FOUND
Older sedentary people living with HIV said health benefits, structure, and trusted provider advice motivated exercise trial participation.
Cost, fatigue, time, fear of injury, and lack of support were barriers. These are themes, not proof exercise works.
Key findings
01Enrolled participants described wanting to improve physical, psychological, and social well-being, and some said the trial commitment helped them intend to keep exercising.
02Participants reported health-related barriers such as aging, comorbidities, and pain, and external barriers including weather, safety concerns, and transportation.
03Participants considered health care providers the most influential individuals when deciding about exercising or participating in an exercise trial.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
The study was a sub-study of an exercise trial conducted in Colorado and Washington, so it may not apply to older sedentary people living with HIV in other regions. All participants were sedentary by the parent trial eligibility criteria, so it says little about people living with HIV who are already physically active. Only four people who declined the exercise trial were interviewed, so the views of most people who declined are missing. Only 3% of participants had a Latino or Hispanic background, so cultural considerations for that group are unclear. Participation in the qualitative interview was optional for enrolled participants, so the interviewed group may not represent all people who joined the parent trial. This is a qualitative study, so it describes motivations and barriers, not whether exercise improves health outcomes.
Declared interests
The authors report no real or perceived vested interests related to this article. No funding source is stated in the supplied text.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that exercise improves health in older people living with HIV, or that provider advice alone will increase trial participation. This qualitative study reports motivations and barriers, not exercise outcomes.