MultiPill Exercise: Conception of an individualized exercise program for people with multiple chronic diseases at the interfaces of health care as well as leisure and health sports
To date, the treatment of patients with multiple chronic diseases (multimorbidity) has received little attention in health policy, although chronic diseases are among the most common health problems in industrialized countries and represent a major challenge not only at individual level, but also from an economic perspective. Preventive therapies therefore appear to be essential.
Although the benefits of physical activity for the prevention and treatment of chronic diseases are well known, physical activity has a comparativly low priority in therapy. Many people fail to regularly integrate physical activities into leisure time and everyday life.
The aim of this paper is to present an intervention program that supports people with risk factors or already manifested multiple chronic diseases on their way to a physically active lifestyle. The concept is based on the biopsychosocial health model of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (
ICF).
A special focus of the intervention is on personal and structural context factors of the participants. The intervention is characterized by a combination of systematic physical training and health pedagogically and psychologically based competence and behavioral orientation regarding the regular continuation of physical activities. In addition to a specific consideration of individual sport-related motives and goals, further supporting factors and barriers of the participants are included to individualize the program.
