Promoting physical activity with self-management support for those with multimorbidity: a randomised controlled trial

BACKGROUND: Targeted self-management programmes may improve health and increase physical activity (PA) in people with multimorbidity. AIM: To investigate the impact of a structured, theoretically driven, self-management group education programme on habitual PA levels in people with multimorbidity. DESIGN AND SETTING: Individually randomised controlled trial with 12-month follow-up, involving nine primary care practices in Leicestershire, UK. METHOD: In total, 353 adults with multimorbidity (age 67.8 years [±9 years], 161 male sex) were randomised to intervention (n = 180) or control (n = 173) groups. Intervention participants were invited to attend four group-based self-management sessions, centred primarily on increasing PA, and received motivational text-message support. The primary outcome measure was change in overall volume (time and intensity) of daily PA at 12 months, as measured by the GENEActiv wrist-worn accelerometer device. RESULTS: At baseline, the total sample achieved 22 min of moderate-vigorous intensity PA per day (mean/participant). At 12 months, in the complete-case analysis, a reduction in daily mean PA volume was seen in the intervention group relative to control (-0.80 milligravity [m g]; 95% confidence interval [CI] = -1.57 to -0.03; P = 0.04). Reductions were also seen in the intervention group in time spent in moderate-vigorous PA (-3.86 min per day; 95% CI= -6.70 to -1.03; P = 0.008) and time spent at an intensity equivalent to a slow walk (-4.66 min per day; 95% CI = -8.82 to -0.51; P = 0.028). However, the per-protocol analysis (excluding participants who did not attend at least one education session) found no between-group differences in overall daily PA at 12 months (-0.65 mg; 95% CI = -1.46 to 0.15; P = 0.11). CONCLUSION: The self-management programme elicited a slight reduction in PA levels in people with multimorbidity. Future research should identify and target subgroups of those with multimorbidity in greatest need of PA promotion