Exploring interest in an internet delivered self-management program focused on physical activity after acquired brain injury.

Question: Are Australian adults with ABI interested in an internet-delivered self-management program aimed at increasing physical activity.
Design: Online survey
Participants: Australian adults with non-degenerative ABI living in the community (n=59).
Outcome measures: Information was collected about demographic characteristics; general health; emotional well-being; mobility and physical activity status, and satisfaction; barriers to physical activity; confidence in overcoming barriers, and; interest in an internet self-management program. Chi-square tests and independent-samples t-tests for continuous data were used to analyse interest.
Results: Over 58% of respondents were not satisfied with their current physical activity status and over 40% reported some level of psychological distress. The most frequently reported barriers were pain/discomfort (36.6%), fatigue (29.3%) and fear (26.8%), and confidence to overcome these barriers was very low. Interest in an internet-delivered self-management program was high (74%) and not related to the amount of physical activity (t(50) = 0.24, p=.981), satisfaction with physical activity (X2(4) = 4.474, p=.346) or total number of barriers (t(53) = 0.759, p=.451). Those reporting higher levels of psychological distress were more likely to be interested (t(46.895) = 2.701, p=.010).
Conclusion: Australian adults with ABI are interested in accessing an internet-delivered self-management program aimed at improving physical activity levels.

Key Practice Points:
•Psychological distress and low satisfaction with physical activity is common in Australian adults with ABI
•Barriers to physical activity, such as pain, fatigue and fear, need to be addressed.
•Survey results have been used to inform development of an internet-delivered self-management program to increase physical activity after ABI.