Barreiras encontradas na prática de atividades físicas por adolescentes com cardiopatias congênitas

Abstract

Congenital heart disease (CHD) is a structural and/or functional alteration of the heart and/or large vessels in newborns, resulting from an error in embryogenesis due to injuries during uterine life. Children with CHD are at risk of developing other cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, as well as increasing manifestations of depression and anxiety. Due to this factor, physical activity is even more important. However, there is little adherence to physical activity among these adolescents, due to many factors, such as lack of necessary information and medical restrictions. The study aimed to identify the level of physical activity and the barriers encountered for its practice in adolescents with congenital heart disease. Methodology: This is a cross sectional observational study carried out at the reference center for the treatment and monitoring of children and adolescents with CHD in the state of Alagoas, Casa do Coração, from September 22, 2023 to September 3, 2024. The research participants were adolescents aged 10 to 18 years old, living with CHD, and who attended routine consultations. The PAQ-C questionnaire was applied to analyze the level of physical activity of these adolescents and the Barriers to Physical Activity questionnaire to assess which barriers are encountered in the participants' daily lives. The data were stored in a Microsoft Excel® spreadsheet and descriptive analyses and correlation were performed using the Stata program. Results: A total of 85 adolescents with CHD were evaluated, 47 females and 38 males. The study identified that most adolescents are inactive, with only 1.17% of adolescents (male and female) having an acceptable level of habitual physical activity. In the analysis of the barriers to practicing physical activity, it was found that the main ones were: preference for sedentary activities, laziness, lack of company and distance from appropriate places to practice. Conclusion: the adolescents evaluated showed a low level of physical activity. This level is related to the barriers found in the study, such as laziness and distance from places to practice. The location where these adolescents live, since most of them live in regions far from urban areas, can impact the practice of physical activity.