Perceived Self-efficacy and Commitment to an Exercise in Patients with Osteoporosis and Osteoarthritis

Abstract

Background: The prevalence of both osteoporosis and osteoarthritis escalates as people age. The extrapolated statistics estimated the burden of osteoporosis in Egypt in 2010 as about 8 million cases out of 80 million populations, while estimated osteoarthritis to be around 6 million cases. Although many factors are related to the occurrence and progression of osteoporosis and osteoarthritis, exercise remains a central health behavior in their prevention. Perceived self-efficacy is another cognitive mediator that molds the shape of illness and may improve compliance with prescribed therapies and exercise regimens. Aims of the study: This study is aimed at: Comparing perceived self-efficacy, exercise benefits, exercise barriers, and commitment to exercise between patients diagnosed with osteoporosis and osteoarthritis; and assessing the influence of perceived exercise self-efficacy, exercise benefits, and barriers on commitment to exercise in each group. Research design: A comparative cross-sectional analytic research design was utilized in this study. Research setting: The study was conducted at the Physiotherapy Department and Outpatient Orthopedic Clinic of the Maternity Hospital, and Ain Shams University Hospitals. Subjects: The participants in this study consisted of a convenience sample of 75 patients with a clinical diagnosis of osteoporosis and 75 patients with osteoarthritis Tools of the study: 1. Perceived Exercise Self-efficacy Scale: developed to measure perceived self-efficacy. 2. Exercise Benefits and Barriers Scale: used to determine the respondent's perceptions concerning the benefits of and barriers to participating in exercise. 3. Commitment to an Exercise Scale: developed to measure the extent of patient commitment to exercise. 4. Exercise documentation record: developed by the researchers to document patient's adherence to the exercise. Results: Obtained results revealed that osteoporotic patients had significantly higher mean scores of commitment to exercie, and higher exercise self-efficacy, while the mean score of exercise benefit was higher in the osteoarthritis group. In addition; a significant positive correlations were found between commitment and perceived self-efficacy scores, and between self-efficacy and perceived lack of barriers and exercise benefits in both groups. In regression analysis, age was a negative predictor for commitment in osteoporosis group, while self-efficacy and lack of barriers were positive predictors. In osteoarthritis group, self-efficacy was the only positive predictor of commitment. Conclusion The current study findings lead to the conclusion that perceived exercise self-efficacy is a major influential factor associated with commitment to exercise in both osteoporosis and osteoarthritis patients. Moreover, patient's scores of commitment to exercise, self-efficacy, perception of lack of barriers, and benefits from exercise are positively inter-correlated. Recommendations: It is recommended that the heath care professionals should adopt strategies for enhancing patient's self-efficacy, give special attention to perceived barriers to exercise, and tailor exercise interventions to the different needs and perceptions of the patients with osteoporosis and osteoarthritis.