Grant: CIHR-IMHA Inclusive Research Excellence Prizes - Patient Engagement

Although kidney transplantation prolongs life of individuals with end stage kidney disease, kidney transplant (KT) recipients face numerous challenges after transplantation including health issues such as osteoporosis, sarcopenia, frailty, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. Those living with these conditions are at higher risk for deterioration of their health and death. Despite this, most KT recipients face several barriers to maintaining a good level of physical activity (PA). We co-developed the "Kidney Transplant Physical Activity and Social Club" (Keep Active Club) with patient partners to offer support for KT recipients to improve their levels of PA and to break the isolation and loneliness they may feel after transplantation. The Keep Active Club was a virtual intervention that lasted six months and offered one educational session about benefits of PA and knowledge of health issues post-transplant, online social networking (via a Facebook closed group led by two patient partners), and virtual exercises classes led by a kinesiologist who also is a KT recipient. Acceptability and feasibility were measured by the proportion of KT recipients approached who participated in the study and the number who completed the intervention. Well known scales for PA, comfort with exercise and social support were used. One hundred twenty-one KT recipients were approached (43 initially interested and eligible; 78 refused) and 18 participated in the study (average age 50.5 years, 50% women, and 7 months to 24 years post-transplant). Eleven KT recipients completed the intervention. The level and comfort with PA improved and social support remained stable. The Keep Active Club is feasible. Level of comfort for PA and level of PA improved in those who participated in the intervention which can possibly impact on health in general. Most of the participants strongly agreed that the Keep Active Club is a good intervention for KT recipients.