Title : Perceived social support on objective measured sedentary behaviour of stroke patients: The mediating role of exercise self efficacy
Abstract:
Background: As stroke patients may have impaired motor function, there may have increased sedentary behaviour. Factors associated with sedentary behaviour need to be explored to develop targeted interventions. Although studies explore the effects of exercise self efficacy and perceived social support on sedentary behaviour, the relationship is not clear. The aim of this study was to explore the mediating effect of exercise self efficacy on perceived social support and objective measured sedentary behaviour in stroke patients.
Aims: To explore the potential relationship between sedentary behaviour and exercise self efficacy and perceived social support.
Design: A descriptive, cross?sectional study.
Methods: The random sampling method was adopted to select 275 stroke patients from the neurology department of a third-grade hospital of Henan Province from June 2023 to March 2024 in a cross-sectional descriptive study. A general data questionnaire, exercise self efficacy scale, perceived social support scale, and ActiGraph GT3X accelerometer were used to investigate. The structural equation model was used to analyze the mediating effect of exercise self efficacy between perceived social support and sedentary behaviour.
Results: The mean sedentary behaviour time in stroke patients in this study was (479.65±112.65) min, the mean score of perceived social support was (47.53±17.16), and the mean score of exercise self-efficacy was (24.19±6.25). The correlation analysis revealed that, the sedentary behaviour of stroke patients was negatively correlated with exercise self efficacy and perceived social support. The results of the mediation analysis showed that exercise self efficacy played a partial mediating role between perceived social support and sedentary behaviour.
Conclusion: Perceived social support and exercise self efficacy were influential factors in sedentary behaviour. Moreover, the impact of perceived social support on sedentary behaviour was partially mediated by exercise self efficacy. Therefore, to decrease the sedentary behaviour, it is crucial to improve the level of perceived social support in stroke patients. Patients with less perceived social support can improve their exercise self efficacy and thus perceive more social support.
Audience Take Away:
- The present study further confirms the high level of sedentary behaviour in stroke patients. As sedentary behaviour affects the prognosis of stroke patients and significantly impacts their recovery, elucidating the factors that contribute to sedentary behaviour and exploring measures to reduce sedentary behaviour is essential in stroke patients. The results of this study suggest that perceived social support can indirectly influence sedentary behaviour in stroke patients due to the mediating role of exercise self efficacy, and future intervention studies can be conducted in both aspects.
- In the actual clinical situation, the assessment of stroke patients’ sedentary behaviour, perceived social support, and exercise self efficacy should be emphasized. The level of social support and self-efficacy of stroke patients should be improved, and educational activities should be conducted to make patients realize the harm of sedentary behaviour on stroke.
- In the course of rehabilitation care after stroke, we can start from the surroundings of patients, such as family, friends and peers, and improve the social support degree through their health education, so as to improve the exercise self efficacy of stroke patients. This may affect the sedentary behaviour of the patients.
- In future intervention studies on sedentary behaviour, we can take the advantage of the Internet. The development of the internet has facilitated communication and interaction, and tools such as social media can be used to connect stroke patients with others, promote social activity and participation, and assist them improve their exercise self efficacy, thus to reduce their sedentary behaviour. At the same time, stroke patients can learn about sedentary behaviour related interventions from the internet, which will be a great help for stroke patients who are unable to travel to hospitals regularly.
