Health care workers’ experiences of exercise in forensic psychiatry: a qualitative focus group study

TL;DR

Health care workers in forensic psychiatry believe exercise is beneficial for patients but face challenges in implementing it.

Contribution

The study provides new insights into how health care workers perceive and support exercise for patients with severe psychiatric conditions.

Findings

Health care workers recognize the positive impact of exercise on patients' physical and mental health.

Organizational and personal barriers limit patients' ability to engage in physical activity.

Different professional roles influence how exercise is supported and integrated into patient care.

Abstract

This study aimed to describe the experiences of using exercise as part of treatment and rehabilitation among health care workers for inpatients in forensic psychiatric care, especially regarding the significance of exercise as part of treatment or rehabilitation.

A qualitative design utilizing the focus group method, which in this case was carried out as two semi-structured focus group discussions with six participants each. Participants were health care workers from rehabilitation wards that work most closely with the patients concerning their planning and support in everyday activities. Content analysis with an inductive approach was applied using iterative close readings of transcripts.

Three qualitatively separate categories emerged: Exercise is meaningful to the patients; Different professional roles related to the patients' exercise; and The work with patients' exercise is governed by different conditions. There was an awareness of the positive impact of exercise on somatic and mental health among participants, and exercise was considered meaningful to the patients.

This study contribute to the understanding of the role that health care workers could play about supporting exercise for patients with severe psychiatric illness. The participants identified organizational and intrapersonal barriers to patients' opportunities and abilities to perform physical activity and exercise.