Award Date

May 2024

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Occupational Therapy Doctorate

Department

Brain Health

First Committee Member

Donnamarie Krause

Second Committee Member

Jefferson Kinney

Number of Pages

83

Abstract

Globally, diabetes mellitus (DM) is a prevalent chronic condition many people encounter. DM is one of the primary causes of mortality due to individuals struggling to manage or prevent the condition. The healthcare field is also failing to provide sufficient education on DM. Individuals with this condition may begin to experience co-morbidities and depressive symptoms, which make it difficult for them to engage in meaningful occupations, in addition to decreased quality of life (QOL). This project examines the effectiveness of a low-intensity aerobic exercise (LIAE) program to enhance occupational performance (OP) and QOL in those diagnosed with the condition or at-risk, which was guided by the occupational performance process model and the problem-based learning theory. The objectives were to enhance engagement in desired occupations, provide guidance and resources to better manage or prevent DM, and increase awareness in the occupational therapy program. This project utilized a quasi-experimental, pretest-posttest design. Assessments utilized the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM) and the Perceived Quality of Life (PQOL) scale. These assessments incorporated a 10-point Likert scale to determine performance and satisfaction rates. Three participants from Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital in Henderson, Nevada took part in a one-week LIAE program lasting approximately 15-30 minutes per session. Each participant began their program during different weeks. The exercise program consisted of yoga, tai chi, boxing, and upper extremity strengthening. The results indicated a correlation between LIAE, OP, and QOL. It was concluded that LIAE can have beneficial impacts on OP and QOL in DM patients or those at-risk. However, the outcomes did not demonstrate statistical significance.

Keywords

diabetes; exercise; health management; occupational performance; physical activity; quality of life

Disciplines

Occupational Therapy

Degree Grantor

University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Language

English

Rights

IN COPYRIGHT. For more information about this rights statement, please visit http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

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