The relationship between activity level and Perceived Barriers and motivations to Exercise in Hemodialysis Patients

Despite the multiple benefits of exercise on mental and physical health of dialysis patients, unfortunately, the level of physical activity in these patients is very limited. With this respect, it is essential to identify the barriers and motivations to exercise in these patients for care planning principles. The purpose of this study was to identify barriers and motivations to exercise and evaluate their association with activity levels in hemodialysis patients. This descriptive study was carried out on 47 hemodialysis patients selected by purposefully sampling in Imam Khomeini Hospital in Tehran. The data collection tools were demographic and Barriers and motivations to exercise questionnaire and a standard questionnaire to record physical activity GLTEQ. Data were analyzed using the software SPSS and presented with sign tests and correlation coefficient. The majority of hemodialysis patients participated in the study were inactive. Motivations such as faith in healing by exercise, sense of well-being, anxiety and depression reduction had a direct correlation with the level of activity. Barriers such as fear of falling, fatigue, shortness of breath, depression and anxiety had an inverse correlation with the level of activity(P<0/05).There was a direct correlation between the frequency and severity of barriers and an inverse relationship between activity level with intensity and frequency of barriers(P<0/05). There was a direct correlation between the frequency and severity of motivations and a direct relationship between activity level with intensity and frequency motivations (P<0/05). Activity reduces the complications of hemodialysis and increase the health and prevent situations threatening the physical and mental health