Turning disability into ability: barriers and facilitators to initiating and maintaining exercise among older men living with HIV.

ABSTRACT: Physical activity reduces the risk for comorbidities, but little is known about barriers to exercise among older adults living with HIV. Three focus groups were conducted among 19 adults living with HIV, aged ≥ 50 years, who were enrolled in or recently completed a supervised exercise intervention. Sessions were recorded, transcribed, and coded first using inductive methods. All participants were male, and the majority were white, non-Hispanic; 53% were receiving disability benefits. All had suppressed HIV infection on antiretroviral therapy, with almost 20 years since HIV diagnosis. Participants noted a lack of self-efficacy, motivation, and physical limitations that contributed to a sense of "disability" as barriers to exercise prior to the intervention. Through social support and improv

SUBMITTER: Neff HA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6318073 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature