Objective: To identify attributes of evidence-based exercise programs associated with the willingness of people with Parkinson’s disease (PD) to engage in additional exercise.

Background: People with PD are less active than the general population, so there is a need to find ways to encourage this population to become more engaged in exercise. Patient-centred healthcare should offer effective interventions with a high likelihood of adoption. However, research detailing the features of exercise programs that would enhance adoption in people with PD is lacking.

Method: A discrete choice experiment was conducted with 540 participants with PD (mean age 69 years, 84% in Hoehn and Yahr stages 1-3). Participants were randomized to view one of four sets of 12 hypothetical exercise programs. Participants were asked to decide whether they would adopt each program in addition to their current exercise routine. A mixed logit model was used to estimate participant preferences for attributes of exercise programs.

Results: Most participants (86%) were undertaking some exercise. Participants preferred additional exercise when programs: provided physical (OR 1.85, 95% CI 1.61–2.13) or psychological (OR 1.45, 95% CI 1.26–1.67) benefit, involved less travel time (ORs 1.50–2.02) and were supervised by qualified professionals with PD expertise (ORs 1.51–1.91). People with PD were most willing to add multimodal exercise to their exercise routine (ORs 2.01–2.19). Participants were less likely to prefer higher cost programs (OR 0.65, 95% CI 0.60–0.71, per $10 AUD cost increase) or add group sessions compared to individual sessions (OR 0.72, 95% CI 0.54–0.96). Sociodemographic characteristics also influenced preferences: men preferred adding strengthening exercises (OR 2.00, 95% CI 1.23–3.26), and women had a preference against adding aerobic exercises (OR 0.33, 95% CI 0.15–0.73). People not currently exercising were more likely to prefer adding exercise, compared to those already exercising at recommended levels (OR 1.74, 95% CI 1.15–2.63, p=.009).

Conclusion: To enable more people with PD to exercise, healthcare providers and health services should provide exercise programs which maximise likelihood of adoption by the target population and account for sex differences.

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MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/preferences-for-exercise-in-people-with-parkinsons-disease-a-discrete-choice-experiment/