Healthcare Providers’ Practices Regarding Physical Activity Prescription in the Care of People with MS

Start Term
End Term
Funding Amount
$299,611
Affiliation(s)
University of Saskatchewan
Geographic Region(s) / Province(s)
Saskatchewan
Research Priorities
Life-modifying therapies
Impact Goal(s)
Enhance Well-being

Summary:

  • Many studies have shown that physical activity is safe and beneficial for people living with multiple sclerosis (MS) – however, there is a critical evidence-to-treatment gap among healthcare providers in prescribing physical activity for people with MS. 
  • Dr. Sarah Donkers and team aim to determine the barriers and needs of healthcare providers across Canada in supporting physical activity for people living with MS. The team will also develop a toolkit that is accessible and user-friendly for healthcare providers to prescribe physical activity for people living with MS. 
  • This research will provide resources to enhance uptake of physical activity among people living with MS to improve their overall well-being. 

Researcher(s):  Sarah J Donkers

Project Description: 
Extensive research has shown the benefits of physical activity for people living with MS – however, physical activity levels in this population remain low. People with MS need support, that goes beyond education, to implement physical activity in their daily living in a way that is most meaningful and beneficial to them individually. Healthcare providers may be able to provide this support and encourage behaviour change, but they currently do not have access to clinically relevant and user-friendly tools to prescribe physical activity for people with MS.

Dr. Sarah Donkers and team aim to address this critical evidence-to-treatment gap by engaging healthcare providers across Canada to understand the barriers in prescribing physical activity for people with MS. The team will develop a toolkit with necessary resources to support people with MS in being physically active. This toolkit will be made available to healthcare providers across Canada and online on the Canadian best practices web platform (MSBEST).

Potential Impact: The findings of this research will provide much needed resources to increase physical activity levels and its beneficial effects among people with MS.

Project Status: In Progress

This research is funded in partnership with Saskatchewan Health Research Foundation and MS Canada.