PROVIDING INSIGHT IN THE MOVEMENT BEHAVIOR OF PATIENTS ADMITTED AT TWO MEDICAL WARDS, USING A MOVEMENT SENSOR

J. van Grootel¹, P. Bor², C. Veenhof², K. Valkenet²

¹University Medical Centre of Utrecht, Rehabilitation, Physical Therapy Science and Sport, Utrecht, Netherlands, ²University Medical Centre Utrecht, Rehabilitation, Physical Therapy Science and Sport, Utrecht, Netherlands

Background: In-hospital physical inactivity is frequently observed in hospitalized patients. It is associated with an increased length of stay and a decline in physical functioning after hospitalization. Physical activity quantified by a movement sensor is a valid measurement and a valuable outcome during hospital admission. Furthermore, movement can be used to facilitate behavior change by providing feedback of movement behavior.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to identify movement behavior, in minutes per day, of patients admitted at two medical wards at the University Medical Centre of Utrecht.

Methods: Physical activity of patients admitted on the nephrology/gastroenterology and pulmonology ward of the University Medical Centre Utrecht, the Netherlands was measured using a small ankle worn sensor and is registered as active minutes per day. These active minutes are divided in light, medium and heavy intensity. In addition, age, gender, body mass index, length of stay, AM-PAC, pain, fatigue, disability to move (numeric rating scale) were measured. For this study, data were evaluated. Patient characteristics were described using descriptive statistics and tested with the Mann Whitney test or independent samples t test. Movement behavior data was presented as median active minutes per day and median minutes at the day of hospital admission.

Results: A total of 61 patients [m = 31], (i.e. 28 pulmonology, 33 nephrology/gastroenterology) were included at baseline with a median age of 64 [22-93] years. The median hospital length of stay was 7 [3-90] days and a median of 6 [3-18] days of wearing the movement sensor was reported. The median of total movement behavior was 28 [6-86] minutes per day. The median of light movement behavior was 23 [6-61] minutes per day. The median of movement behavior at the day of hospital admission was 25 [1-97] minutes. Changes following the numeric rating scale scores were measured at hospital admission and discharge; pain (3.2 to 1.0), fatigue (5.6 to 3.7) and disability to move (4.7 to 3.4).

Conclusions: Overall, the total movement behavior in minutes per day of hospitalized patients is very low. This information could form a basis of developing a tailored goal directed movement intervention to improve movement behavior in hospitalized patients.

Implications: This information gives insight in movement behavior of hospitalized patients. It provides points of action for developing interventions to improve movement behavior on different intensities.

Funding acknowledgements: No funding

Keywords:
Intervention
Hospitalization
Accelerometer

Topics:
Health promotion & wellbeing/healthy ageing/physical activity

Did this work require ethics approval? Yes

Institution: University Medical Centre of Utrecht, the Netherlands

Committee: METC Utrecht

Ethics number: 22-537