Year: 2014
Type: dissertation
Abstract: Objective. This pilot study sought to quantitatively evaluate quality of life changes among patients of\nsubstance use disorder (SUD) treatment institutions following participation in coach-led exercise\ngroups. The pilot study also intended to use attendance data and qualitative feedback to assess the\nfeasibility of such an exercise intervention and discuss the potentiality for scaling it up as a larger,\nadjunct therapeutic intervention.\nMethods. 35 residents of four post-acute SUD treatment institutions enrolled in ten-week, lowintensity\nexercise groups that met for three days each week in half-hour sessions. Before and after the\nintervention, participants answered the World Health Organization’s Quality of Life Brief\n(WHOQOL-BREF), the Hopkins Symptom Checklist (HSCL-25), and self-report inventories\nmodified from the Norwegian Follow-up Study for Opioid Dependents that measured current\nsubstance use and somatic burden. Those who enrolled and exercised were analyzed as exercisers,\nand those who enrolled but did not exercise were analyzed as non-exercisers. Quantitative data on\nattendance was integrated with qualitative feedback from participants and coaches to evaluate\nprogram acceptability and feasibility.\nResults. Physical health quality of life and psychological health quality of life increased with\nstatistical and clinical significance among exercisers, but not among non-exercisers. Exercise had no\nimpact on participants’ social relationships quality of life or environment quality of life. Participants\nwith clinical levels of emotional distress were more likely to exercise than those with sub-clinical\nlevels, as were participants with a greater burden of somatic health problems. Coaches held important\nroles as motivators in order to engage participants and make the groups accessible.\nConclusion. This pilot study has provided novel, preliminary evidence of quantitative quality of life\ngains as a result of participation in a coach-led group exercise intervention. Several design elements\nhave been identified for future interventions to replicate and improve upon, such as those that helped\nengage the most physically and mentally vulnerable participants.
Author: Ashley Elizabeth Muller
Language: English
Subfield: Epidemiology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W943863290