Yang-Heui Ahn,Jihea Choi

Department of Nursing, Yonsei University Wonju College of Medicine, Wonju, Korea


Background: Osteoarthritis is the most common chronic disease among elders, and it crucially requires self-management. This study aimed to qualitatively examine exercise experiences of elderly Medicaid benefi- ciaries with osteoarthritis receiving exercise intervention based on self-determination theory (SDT).
Methods: Eight elders who received a community-based exercise intervention were interviewed three times. Using the interview transcriptions and field notes, researchers conducted an interpretative phenomenological analysis based on SDT to explore the motivational process of exercise compliance.
Results: Three meaningful profiles (non-compliant, intermitter, and compliant) were identified along with sat- isfaction with needs (autonomy, competence, and relatedness) that motivate exercise compliance based on SDT. Compliance of exercise is primarily initiated by external regulation and followed by the internalization process of recognizing and accepting the value of the behavior.
Conclusions: The concepts of SDT could be used to explore factors associated with motivation and gradual be- havior change among elderly Medicaid beneficiaries with osteoarthritis. Autonomy, competence, relatedness, external regulation, and identified regulation control may be applied to establish a strategy that promotes be- havior change by satisfying the psychological needs and internalizing the behavior of these elders.