Validation, Reliability and Pilot Test of the Personalized Exercise Questionnaire (PEQ)

Osteoporosis is a disease of the bones characterized by low bone mass and microarchitectural deterioration of bone tissue. This disease can increase the risk of bone fragility fractures and is indirectly associated with premature death. These fractures are more common than cancer or heart disease in North American women 50 years or older, with an osteoporotic fracture occurring every 3 seconds worldwide, and are a major issue to patients and the healthcare system. Increased fracture rates, particularly in the hip and spine, may lead to hospitalization and subsequent immobility. Some studies have shown fitness to be a better predictor of bone mineral density than age, yet adherence to exercise is poor. Studies suggest that 50% of those registered in an exercise program drop out within the first 6 months, lack of time being the number one barrier in many populations. To increase adherence to an exercise program, a systematic review has identified a number of facilitators and barriers to exercise in adults with osteoporosis and osteopenia. Hitherto, no measurement tool has been created to measure these facilitators and barriers in people with osteoporosis. The investigators have developed and validated the PEQ (Personalized Exercise Questionnaire), a new tool that can measure the facilitators, barriers, and preferences to exercise. The next steps are to test the reliability, known-group validity, and pilot test this tool in the osteoporosis population. Future physical activity or exercise interventions could benefit from using this tool to leveraging the facilitators and limiting the barriers to exercise to increase adherence to an exercise program.