title: Barriers to healthy-lifestyle participation in stroke: consumer participation in secondary prevention design.
abstract: The aim of the study was to explore community-dwelling stroke patients' perceived barriers to healthy-lifestyle participation for secondary disease prevention, as well as their preferred means for risk-reduction information dissemination and motivators to participation in healthy-lifestyle interventions. Four focus groups (5-6 stroke survivors per group) were defined from community support groups. Key questions addressed barriers to healthy-lifestyle adoption, preferred methods for receiving information and factors that would engage participants in a risk-reduction programme. Groups were audiotaped, transcribed verbatim and analysed for thematic content using a framework approach. Twenty-two participants, 12 men, 10 women, mean age 71.4 (53-87) years, were included in the study. Three overarching themes emerged as barriers to healthy-lifestyle participation: physical, mental and environmental. Exercise participation difficulties spread across all three themes; healthy eating and smoking cessation concentrated in environmental and mental dimensions. Talks (discussions) were noted as participants' preferred method of information provision. Risk-reduction programmes considered attractive were stroke specific, convenient and delivered by healthcare professionals and involved both social and exercise components. Many stroke patients appear unable to adopt healthy-lifestyle changes through advice alone because of physical, mental and environmental barriers. Risk-reduction programmes including interactive education should be specifically tailored to address barriers currently experienced and extend beyond the stroke survivor to others in their environment who influence lifestyle choices.
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, Physiotherapy and Population Science, Health Sciences Centre, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.
authors.forename: Olive C
authors.initials: OC
authors.lastname: Lennon
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Doody
authors.forename: Cliodhna
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ni Choisdealbh
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Blake
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003256:Community Participation; D015897:Comorbidity; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D015438:Health Behavior; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D040242:Risk Reduction Behavior; D055502:Secondary Prevention; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology; D020521:Stroke / Q000453:epidemiology; D000071939:Stroke Rehabilitation