Predictors of adherence to home-based physical therapies: a systematic review

Purpose: Self-managed, home-based physical therapy (HBPT) is an increasingly common element of physical therapy rehabilitation programmes but non-adherence can reach 70%. Understanding factors that influence patients' adherence to HBPTs could help practitioners support better adherence. Research to date has focussed largely on clinic-based physiotherapy. The objective of this review, therefore, was to identify specific factors, which influence adherence to home-based, self-managed physical therapies. Method: A systematic review was conducted, in which eight online databases were searched using combinations of key terms relating to physical therapies, adherence and predictors. Matching records were screened against eligibility criteria and 30 quantitative articles were quality assessed and included in the final review. Relevant data were extracted and a narrative synthesis approach was taken to aggregating findings across studies. Results: There was relatively strong evidence that the following factors predicted adherence to HBPTs: intention to engage in the HBPT, self-motivation, self-efficacy, previous adherence to exercise-related behaviours and social support. Conclusions: This review has identified a range of factors that appear to be related to patients' adherence to their self-managed physical rehabilitation therapies. Awareness of these factors may inform design of interventions to improve adherence.