Skip to main content

Table 2 Summary of included studies

From: A systematic review of the efficacy of self-management programs for increasing physical activity in community-dwelling adults with acquired brain injury (ABI)

Study (year, country, study design)

Type of ABI

Participants

Intervention

Control

Follow-up assessments/

Content

Delivery characteristics

Theoretical model

Drop outs/

Sample size analyzed

Brenner et al. (2012, USA, RCT)

TBI

Sample size: n = 74

‘Health and Wellness therapy group’: program provided information to facilitate health promotion while emphasizing self-assessment to help participants to set individualized goals, problem-solve to reduce barriers, and strategies to enhance self-efficacy. Program aimed to take advantage of the group process, as well as encouraging participants to involve an identified resource person to assist in self-assessment and behavior change.

Duration: 12 × 1.5 h sessions; 1 session/week for 12 weeks

TTM

Wait-list control

Follow-up: 3 months and 6 months

IG = 37; CG = 37

SCT

Gender:

Male: IG = 29 (78.4%)

CG = 32 (86.5%)

Drop outs: n = 9

Female: IG = 8 (21.6%)

IG: n = 7; CG: n = 2

Delivery mode: face-to-face group sessions with workbook

CG = 5 (13.5%)

Sample analyzed: n = 65

Mean age (years):

IG: n = 30; CG: n = 35

IG = 43.46 (SD 16.00);

Facilitators: social worker, speech pathologist, physical therapist, and nurse who rotated in groups of 2

CG = 44.14 (SD 14.97)

Mean (SD) time since ABI (years):

IG = 11.74 (13.80);

Physical activity specific content: Two sessions (sessions 5 and 6) focus on fitness self-assessment, getting started with physical exercise, measuring resting heart rate, benefits of exercise.

CG = 12.50 (13.75)

Damush et al. (2011, USA

Stroke

Sample size: n = 66

‘Stroke self-management program’: The sessions followed a standardized manual based on the CDSMP with a focus on enhancing self-efficacy to manage symptoms and foster behavior change. Techniques employed included goal setting and behavioral contracting. Telephone follow-up focused on reinforcing, monitoring, and adjusting the goals and self-management strategies.

Duration: 6 sessions over a 3-month period (3 face-to-face and 3 via telephone) as well as biweekly telephone follow-up. Average session length was 20 min.

SCT (specifically self-efficacy)

Written patient educational materials on stroke warning signs and pamphlets from the American Stroke Association on prevention of secondary strokes. Telephone calls were also made by the case manager on the same schedule as IG to discuss how participant felt that day.

Follow-up: 3 months and

Gender:

Male: IG = 30 (100%)

RCT)

CG = 32 (97.0%)

Female: IG = 0 (0%)

6 months

CG = 1 (3.0%)

Drop outs: n = 3

No info regarding groups

Mean age (years):

Sample analyzed: n = 63

IG = 67.3 (SD 12.4);

IG: n = 30; CG: n = 33

CG = 64.0 (SD 8.4)

Delivery mode: face-to-face and telephone with standardized manual

Time since ABI: participants identified during hospital admission for ischemic stroke.

Physical activity specific content: 2 topics out of 24 focused on physical activity specifically - ‘Getting Active at Home’ and ‘Walking for Health’. An additional topic on rehabilitation included discussion on following prescribed exercises at home.

Facilitators: a nurse, a physician assistant, and a master’s level social scientist

Gill and Sullivan (2011, Australia

QRCT)

Stroke

Sample size: n = 26

‘Stay Active and Stop Stroke (SASS)’: Intervention targets exercise beliefs with didactic instruction and group-based activities. Session 1 aimed to increase stroke knowledge and highlight risk factors. Session 2 aimed to facilitate a change in beliefs. Session 3 intended to strengthen motivation by illustrating decisional balance processes. Participants identified personal barriers to increasing physical activity, generated possible solutions, and prepared personal activity goals.

Duration: 3 × 1 h sessions, 1/week for 3 weeks.

eHBM

No intervention

Follow-up: 3 weeks

IG: n = 14; CG: n = 8

TTM

Drop outs: n = 0

Gender:

IG: n = 0; CG: n = 0

Male: IG = 5 (35.7%)

CG = 6 (75%)

Delivery mode: face-to-face group sessions with manual

Female: IG = 9 (64.3%)

CG = 2 (25%)

Sample analyzed: n = 26

IG: n = 14; CG: n = 8

Mean age (years):

Facilitators: psychology students

IG = 60.21 (SD 7.74);

CG = 67.75 (SD 19.30)

Time since ABI:

<12 months: IG: n = 2; CG: n = 1;

Physical activity specific content: Whole program focused on exercise.

1 to 5 years: IG: n = 7; CG: n = 4;

>5 years: IG: n = 5; CG: n = 3

Kim and Kim

Stroke

Sample size: n = 61

‘Lifestyle modification coaching program’: Aimed to modify lifestyle to prevent secondary stroke, particularly through reduction in physiological parameters, such as blood pressure, blood lipids, and body fat. Program focused on education regarding stroke risk factors and acknowledgement of necessity for lifestyle modification, as well the setting up and attainment of individual goals.

Duration: 8 weeks

None specified

Control received the 1 × face-face session but no ongoing telephone coaching.

Follow-up: 8 weeks

(2013, Korea

IG: n = 32; CG: n = 29

Delivery mode: Initial session was face-to-face, then telephone (1× week for 8 weeks)

Drop outs: n = 12

IG: n = 5; CG: n = 7

QRCT)

Gender:

Male: IG = 19 (59.4%)

CG = 19 (65.5%)

Female: IG = 13(40.6%)

Sample analyzed: n = 61

CG = 10 (34.5%)

IG: n = 32; CG: n = 29

Facilitators: not specified

Mean age (years):

IG: 67.41 (8.46)

CG: 66.71 (9.40)

Physical activity specific content: Participants were classified according to their baseline level of activity and encouraged to acknowledge their current level of activity. Subjects educated about optimum levels of exercise to prevent stroke recurrence, and assisted to set goals and keep records on exercise performed. The researcher checked if reasonable exercise was being done, offered encouragement, and gave support to identify and overcome barriers.

Median (range) time since ABI (months): IG: 24 (2 to 124)

CG: 36 (2 to 188)

Sit et al. (2007, Hong Kong, QRCT)

Stroke

Sample size: n = 190

‘Community-based stroke prevention program’: Focus was on improving knowledge about stroke, improving self-monitoring of health and maintenance of behavioral changes when adopting a healthy lifestyle. Participants selected the risk behavior on which they wanted to focus, addressing them one at a time, setting short-term practical goals, practicing learnt skills, and implementing action plans.

Duration: 8 × 2 h sessions held 1/week for 8 weeks.

None specified

Conventional medical treatment and health promotion pamphlets on stroke and stroke prevention.

Follow-up: 1 week following intervention and 3 months

IG: n = 107; CG: n = 83

Gender:

Male: IG = 55 (51.4%)

Delivery mode: face-to-face group sessions with 10 to 12 participants.

CG = 50 (60.2%)

Drop outs: n = 44

IG: n = 28; CG: n = 16

Female: IG = 52 (48.6%)

CG = 33 (39.80%)

Sample analyzed:

n = 190

Mean age (years):

Facilitators: experienced community nurses.

IG: n = 107; CG: n = 83

IG = 62.83 (SD 10.25);

CG = 64.02 (SD 12.03)

Time since ABI: not specified

Physical activity specific content: Participants were given log sheets and pedometers to track goal achievement. Physical activity was focused on in session 7: ‘Establishing regular exercise habit’.

  1. IG = Intervention group; CG = Control group; TTM = Transtheoretical Model; SCT = Social Cognitive Theory; CDSMP = Chronic Disease Self-Management Program; eHBM = expanded Health Beliefs Model.