Barriers and motivational factors towards physical activity in daily life living with COPD – an interview based pilot study

Figures & data

Table 1. Characteristics of the participants – people with COPD.

	Participant I Lis (pseudonym)	Participant II Helle (pseudonym)	Participant III Inger (pseudonym)	Participant IV Per (pseudonym)	Participant V Helga (pseudonym)
Age (years)	53	39	62	68	75
Sex	Female	Female	Female	Male	Female
Self-reported severity of COPD forced expiratory volume (FEV1)	Moderate (54%)	Moderate (68%)	Severe (30–40%)	Severe (42%)	Severe (37%)
Years since diagnosed with COPD	4	7	8	10	6
Physical activity	No physical activity	Moderate physical activity, e.g. using e-bike	Moderate physical activity, e.g. water aerobics once a week	Regular physical activity on every day basis, team exercise training, walking etc.	Regular physical activity on every day basis, team exercise training, walking etc.
Comorbidity	Prolapsed intervertebral disc, operated 4 times		Arthrosis ankles, knees and hips, diabetes
Interviewed by	Author ADK^3 2015	Author PMT^4 2015	Author PMT^4 2015	Author ADK^3 2015	Author EBØ^1 2013

Interview guide(translated from Danish)Overview of semi-structured interview guide to patients with COPD

Research questions	Interview questions
What is quality of life for the patients?	Daily life and quality of life: • What is important for you in your daily life?
	• What gives you quality of life?
	• How does the disease affect you and you daily life/quality of life (limitations)?
What kind of information do general practitioners give the patients about the disease, and the patients’ own opportunities to change the severity of the disease?	Information from the general practitioner: • Which information did you get from your general practitioner about the disease?
	• Which examinations did you go through? What did the general practitioner tell about the results? What did the results tell you?
	• What did the general practitioner say that you could do about the disease?
	• What is your knowledge about physical activity? (Knowledge from the general practitioner or others)
How does the patients’experience from physical activity affect their current level of physical activity?	Experience with physical activity: • How would you characterise your level of physical activity now and in the past?
	• What kind and to what extent are you physically active?
	• How is your experience with physical activity?
Which factors influence the patients’ current behaviour (activity/no activity) based on the Health Belief Model?	Reasons to be physically active or not • Perceived susceptibility and severity • How much does your disease affect you psychologically? What are your thoughts about the disease?
	• How do you think your disease will affect you in the future?
	• How does it affect you that the disease cannot be cured? Perceived benefits and barriers
	• Which thoughts do you have about doing physical activity with COPD?
	• What keeps you from doing physical activity? What are the reasons for you to be physically active? What could stop you from being physically active?
	• What are pros and cons of your current level of activity?
	• What are the pros and cons of a high level of physical activity?
	• Self-efficacy and cues to action How is your experience on being able to control the disease? Experiences from physical activity.
	• What do you think it takes to improve your condition? Which factors can be influenced by yourself?
	• How do you see your own opportunities for getting more physically active?
	• Do you know other patients with COPD? Are they physically active? What are their experiences?
What is needed to increase the patients’ motivation to be more physically active based on the Self Determination Theory?	Motivation • To what extent do you feel motivated? Ask based on the scale.
	• What is needed for you to start doing physical activity?
	• What could help you being more physically active? E.g. reward, praise, satisfaction, fun, avoid guilt, goals, team activity?
	• What do you achieve from physical activity? What is your motivation for physical activity? Why do you choose that type of physical activity? What is the reason to continue being active?