Successfully improving physical activity behavior after rehabilitation.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the effects of the physical activity promotion programs Rehabilitation & Sports (R&S) and Active after Rehabilitation (AaR) on sport and daily physical activity 1 year after in- or outpatient rehabilitation.


METHODS
Subjects in intervention rehabilitation centers were randomized into a group receiving R&S only (n = 315) and a group receiving R&S and AaR (n = 284). Subjects in six control centers (n = 603) received usual care.


METHODS
Ten Dutch rehabilitation centers.


METHODS
Subjects consisted of 1202 rehabilitation patients. Most frequent diagnoses were stroke, neurological disorders, and back disorders.


METHODS
Both the sport stimulation program (R&S) and the daily physical activity promotion program (AaR) consisted of personalized tailored counseling.


METHODS
Two sport outcomes and two daily physical activity outcomes were assessed with questionnaires at baseline and 1 year after rehabilitation.


METHODS
Multilevel analyses comparing both intervention groups to the control group.


RESULTS
The R&S program showed no significant effects. Intention-to-treat analyses in the R&S + AaR group showed borderline significant improvements in one sport (odds ratio [OR] = 1.66, p = .02) and both physical activity outcomes (OR = 1.68, p = .01 and regression coefficient = 10.78, p = .05). On-treatment analyses in the R&S + AaR group showed similar but stronger effects.


CONCLUSIONS
The combination of the R&S and AaR programs improved physical activity behavior and sport participation 1 year after in- or outpatient rehabilitation. The R&S program alone did not have any effects.
van der Ploeg
Hidde P
HP
Department of Public and Occupational Health, Institute for Research in Extramural Medicine, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Streppel
Kitty R M
KR
van der Beek
Allard J
AJ
van der Woude
Luc H V
LH
Vollenbroek-Hutten
Miriam M R
MM
van Harten
Wim H
WH
van Mechelen
Willem
W
D000328:Adult; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009042:Motivation; D009426:Netherlands; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012046:Rehabilitation