Barriers and facilitators to implement longstanding exercise therapy for people with rheumatoid arthritis or axial spondyloarthritis.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

Longstanding, personalized, supervised exercise therapy proved to be (cost)effective for people with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) or axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) with severe functional limitations. Despite policy support, implementation in routine care is challenging. This study aimed to identify barriers and facilitators to its uptake in clinical practice.

Methods

We conducted 18 semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders (patients, rheumatologists, physiotherapists and insurers). The Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) guided the interviews. Interview transcripts were analyzed in Atlas.ti using direct content analysis, and findings were mapped to the CFIR domains. Barriers and facilitators were categorized across three healthcare deli

SUBMITTER: Iken AR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12900539 | biostudies-literature | 2026

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature