New thesis examines mobile app support for physical activity after stroke or TIA
In her thesis, "mHealth support for physical activity after stroke or transient ischaemic attack - feasibility and intervention refinement", Hanna Lagerlund, PhD student at the Division of Physiotherapy, NVS, examines how support via a mobile app can help people who have had a stroke or TIA become more physically active and maintain healthy lifestyle habits over time.
What is your thesis about?
"In my thesis, I investigated an intervention that supports physical activity in people who have had a stroke or a transient ischaemic attack (TIA) through a mobile app. Over six months, participants took part in regular exercise and individual counselling sessions with a physiotherapist, combined with behaviour change support delivered through different features within the app. I investigated how participants used the intervention components and explored factors influencing the participants’ maintained engagement in physical activity after the intervention. I also evaluated whether a sit-to-stand test could be accurately assessed via a mobile phone and refined app features aimed at supporting behaviour change together with people who have had a stroke or TIA", says Hanna Lagerlund, doctoral student at the Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society.
What are the most important results?
"The findings show that participants valued the intervention and acquired knowledge and experience that facilitated maintaining physical activity after the intervention. Participants had high adherence to the physiotherapist-led sessions throughout the intervention, while engagement with the app features was initially high but declined post-intervention".
"The findings also showed that maintaining physical activity after the intervention could be challenging. For example, health-related and contextual barriers, such as co-morbidities and poor weather conditions, sometimes hindered participants from continuing with their planned physical activity. Despite these challenges, participants developed and used various strategies to manage barriers, drawing on support from their social and physical environment".
"The sit-to-stand test worked well when assessed via the mobile app and provided accurate results. In collaboration with people who have had a stroke or TIA, three app features were refined to better support behaviour change and help people manage their health over time".
How can this knowledge help improve people’s health?
"This thesis contributes knowledge about how mobile app–based support for physical activity can be adapted for people who have had a stroke or TIA. The findings can be used to develop more effective and individually tailored interventions that support people in maintaining physical activity over time, with the potential to improve health and reduce the risk of recurrent stroke or TIA".
What will you do next? Will you continue doing research?
"I look forward to putting the knowledge and experience I have gained through my research into practice. Whether that will be through research, clinical work, or developing and improving healthcare services is still uncertain, but my goal is to contribute to better health and make a meaningful difference for people living with long-term health conditions or disabilities".