Author: Xiankun Chen1,2,3, Wei Jiang1,4, Mariano Salazar5, Huiying Zhu4, Zehuai Wen1,2,6, Xixi Chen7, Cecilia Stålsby Lundborg3
Affiliation: <sup>1</sup> State Key Laboratory of Dampness Syndrome of Chinese Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China.
<sup>2</sup> Key Unit of Methodology in Clinical Research, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China.
<sup>3</sup> Health Systems and Policy, Department of Global Public Health, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
<sup>4</sup> Department of Cardiology, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China.
<sup>5</sup> Global and Sexual Health, Department of Global Public Health, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
<sup>6</sup> Science and Technology Innovation Center, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China.
<sup>7</sup> School of Foreign Studies, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China.
Conference/Journal: Front Cardiovasc Med
Date published: 2023 Jan 4
Other:
Volume ID: 9 , Pages: 1049036 , Special Notes: doi: 10.3389/fcvm.2022.1049036. , Word Count: 244
Objective:
Baduanjin (eight silken movements) is a traditional Chinese exercise that can be used as cardiac rehabilitation therapy for patients with chronic heart failure (CHF) especially when other forms of rehabilitation are scarce or unaffordable. This study explores the experiences of Chinese patients with CHF who undertook Baduanjin exercise at home as part of a pilot trial in Guangzhou, China.
Methods:
We conducted seven qualitative interviews with participants who had participated in the intervention arm of a pilot randomized controlled trial (RCT) (n = 8). For data collection, we used a semi-structured interview guide with both open-ended, and follow-up questions. We audio recorded the interviews, transcribed them verbatim, and then analyzed them with content analysis.
Results:
Participants' experiences of doing Baduanjin were classified into three categories: (1) improving practice (2) factors facilitating good exercise adherence, and (3) feeling good. Participants reported that the exercises were easy but that the correct Baduanjin execution and coordination between the mind, movements, and breathing were only achievable through practice. In addition, the training benefits which they perceived were the predominant motivation for patients to keep practicing. Finally, trust in Baduanjin, personal attitudes toward health, flexibility in practice times, as well as social support helped the participants to achieve good adherence to home-based training.
Conclusion:
This study's findings indicate that Baduanjin could be a cardiac rehabilitation exercise modality for patients with CHF in China, especially in a home-based setting.
Keywords: Baduanjin; cardiac rehabilitation; chronic heart failure; experience; qualitative study.
PMID: 36684583 PMCID: PMC9846166 DOI: 10.3389/fcvm.2022.1049036