title: To walk or not to walk: insights from a qualitative description study with women suffering from fibromyalgia.
abstract: Walking improves health outcomes in fibromyalgia; however, there is low adherence to this practice. The aim of this research was to explore the beliefs of women suffering from fibromyalgia toward walking, and the meaning that they attribute to the behavior of walking as part of their fibromyalgia treatment. This study is a qualitative description research. Forty-six (46) women suffering from fibromyalgia and associated with local fibromyalgia associations located in four different Spanish cities (Elche, Alicante, Madrid, and Talavera de la Reina) participated in focus group discussions in the summer 2012. Thematic content analysis was performed in transcribed verbatim from interviews. Participants perceived several inhibitors for walking even when they had positive beliefs toward its therapeutic value. Whereas participants believed that walking can generate improvement in their disease and their health in general, they did not feel able to actually do so given their many physical impediments. Furthermore, participants struggled with social isolation and stigma, which was lessened through the conscious support of family. Advice from family doctors was also a very important facilitator to participants. In a health care delivery context that favors person-centered care, and in order to foster adherence to walking-based fibromyalgia treatments, it is recommended that therapeutic walking programs be tailored to each woman' individual circumstances, and developed in close collaboration with them to help them increase control over their health and their condition.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Psychology, Miguel Hernández University, Ctra. Alicante-Valencia, km. 8.7, 03550, Alicante, Spain.
authors.forename: Yolanda
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sanz-Baños
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Psychology, Miguel Hernández University, Ctra. Alicante-Valencia, km. 8.7, 03550, Alicante, Spain. mapastor@umh.es.
authors.forename: María-Ángeles
authors.initials: MÁ
authors.lastname: Pastor
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine and Surgery, Psychology, Preventive Medicine and Public Health and Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Health Sciences, King Juan Carlos University, Av Atenas, S/N, 28922, Alcorcón, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Lilian
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Velasco
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Psychology, Miguel Hernández University, Ctra. Alicante-Valencia, km. 8.7, 03550, Alicante, Spain.
authors.forename: Sofía
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: López-Roig
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine and Surgery, Psychology, Preventive Medicine and Public Health and Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Health Sciences, King Juan Carlos University, Av Atenas, S/N, 28922, Alcorcón, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Cecilia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Peñacoba
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Psychology, Miguel Hernández University, Ctra. Alicante-Valencia, km. 8.7, 03550, Alicante, Spain.
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lledo
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, 5858, chemin de la Côte-des-Neiges, 3rd Floor, Montreal, QC, Canada.
authors.forename: Charo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rodríguez
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005356:Fibromyalgia / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010349:Patient Compliance; D036301:Qualitative Research; D011788:Quality of Life; D016138:Walking / Q000502:physiology*
keywords: Behavior management in rheumatic diseases; Fibromyalgia; Patient perspective; Primary health care; Qualitative description; Walking