Promoting physical activity in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

Abstract

The aim of the thesis was to study: 1. The engagement of patients with RA in various forms of physical activity and their preferences regarding the delivery of physical activity interventions; 2. The evidence regarding the effectiveness of physical activity interventions delivered by means of the Internet in general and for patients with RA in particular; 3. Barriers and facilitators for the broader implementation of physical activity interventions in patients with arthritis. The thesis is divided into two parts. Part 1 describes the current engagement of RA patients with various types of physical activity. In Chapter 2 the results of a study comparing RA patients__ physical activity levels with those of the general Dutch population are presented. Chapter 3 describes the participation and preferences regarding various types of leisure-time physical activity in patients with RA. Part 2 focuses on a specific, innovative strategy to promote physical activity, i.e. enhancing physical activity levels by means of interventions delivered through the Internet. In Chapter 4 the results of a randomised controlled trial, comparing the effectiveness of two Internet-based physical activity interventions for patients with RA, are described. Chapter 5 describes RA patients__ engagement and satisfaction with one of these physical activity interventions. Chapter 6 presents the results of a systematic literature review concerning the effectiveness of Internet-based physical activity interventions for healthy people as well as people with chronic conditions. In Chapter 7 barriers and facilitators regarding the implementation of physical activity interventions for people with arthritis are described and illustrated by means of a case study. Finally, a summary of the results and a general discussion are given in Chapter 8.