Self-management to promote physical activity after discharge from in-patient stroke rehabilitation: a feasibility study

To investigate the feasibility of a self-management program aimed at increasing physical activity in community-dwelling ambulators after stroke in a middle-income country with high income inequality.A Phase 1, pre-post intervention study was conducted with 20 sub-acute stroke participants. The self-management program was delivered in six home-based sessions over 3 months. Feasibility of recruitment, intervention, and measurement was determined. Physical activity, cardiovascular risk, depression, walking speed, self-efficacy for exercise, participation, and quality of life were measured at baseline, 3, and 6 months.16% of eligible participants were recruited. 90% completed the program and were measured at 3 months, and 65% at 6 months. The most common reasons for withdrawal were return to work, lack of interest/motivation and surgery. 92% of the sessions were delivered for 59 (SD 23) minutes per session. Participants did not increase physical activity at 3 months (MD 364 steps/day, 95% CI -282 to 1010) or 6 months (MD 312 steps/day, 95% CI -881 to 1504). Post-hoc analysis showed that sedentary participants increased their step count at 3 months by 1,300 (95% CI 152 to 2447) and at 6 months by 1,701 (95% CI -556 to 3959) more steps than non-sedentary participants.A Phase 2 study of the self-management program appears to be feasible in a middle-income country with high income inequality and has the potential to increase physical activity levels in sedentary individuals with mild disability after stroke.RBR-6bdmsk.