LEVEL OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AMONG POSTSTOKE PATIENTS IN UNIVERSITY OF BENIN TEACHING HOSPITAL (UBTH)

ABSTRACT

Background/Aim: Physical activity (PA) is any movement using your muscles that burns energy. There is an established connection between the level of PA and the rates of mortality for nine major non-communicable diseases (NCDs) which include Stroke. A stroke is a sudden brain malfunction due to blood flow issues, for at least 24 hours, causing lasting symptoms or death (not caused by injury). Physical inactivity after stroke is a common challenge for stroke survivors, both in the hospital and at home. This study was aimed at investigating the level of physical activity among post-stroke patients. Methods: A cross-sectional study design was used in this study. convenience sampling technique was used to select 45 patients from the Department of Physiotherapy UBTH Benin City. Initial assessments involve recording participants' blood pressure and pulse rate, the research collected data from a questionnaire with two sections: Section A on social demographics, and Section B using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire Short-Form (IPAQ-SF). Descriptive and inferential statistics of Pearson’s correlation and Chi-square were used to summarize the data. The alpha level was 0.05. Results: The mean MET value for vigorous, moderate and walking activities were 306.67 (± 1089.85), 448.18 (± 791.03) and 716.03 (± 921.77). The total MET expended by stroke survivors daily was 1470.87 ± (2117.12). 19 (42.2%) of the respondents were minimally active. Conclusion: In conclusion, there is a minimal or low level of physical activity among poststroke patients in UBTH Benin City. There was a significant negative relationship between age and level of physical among the stroke survivors. Additional research is necessary to ascertain the most effective exercises and activities to elevate physical activity levels within this demographic. Keywords: Physical activity, post-stroke, patient