Supportive social and physical activity environments can encourage participation in children with bronchiectasis

The goal of a recent study was to identify facilitators and barriers to physical activity in children with bronchiectasis––unrelated to cystic fibrosis (CF)––from the perspectives of children and their parents.

This qualitative study recruited children in the age group 7-15 years and their parents who underwent semi-structured interviews; the results were compared.

From children’s perspective – fun with friends, family participation in physical activity, and organized sports and activities were the facilitators of physical activity. The barriers were the inability to keep up with peers and time on technology. The parent’s perspective portrayed supportive social and physical activity environments and instrumental and logistic support for physical activity as facilitators. This group deemed bronchiectasis symptom management as a barrier to physical activity in children.

It was suggested that strategies that aim to increase physical activity in children with bronchiectasis should be fun and accessible, encourage social interaction, and address barriers related to exercise tolerance, competence biases, motor skill proficiency, and respiratory symptoms. Current guidelines recommend regular physical activity for children with bronchiectasis.

Source: Frontiers in Pediatrics. 2022. Doi: 10.3389/fped.2022.974363