Towards a Better Understanding of Physical Activity Behavior in Adults with Congenital Heart Disease

Background: Congenital heart disease is the most common birth defect in the world. Medical advancements in pediatric cardiac surgery have led to an increased number of adults with congenital heart disease (ACHD). PA was discouraged for ACHD patients in the past however, today it is strongly encouraged for this population to remain active. Unfortunately, ACHD patients tend to be sedentary, which can be detrimental to their health, even more so than healthy adults. Purpose: This paper explains that ACHD patients may experience different types of factors that prevent PA behavior and may vary in their ability and desire to engage in regular PA. This paper also discusses how integrating the Social Ecological Model and Transtheoretical Stage of Change Model can be applied as a framework to better understand ACHD patients’ PA behavior. Translation to Health Education Practice: The integration of these two models can help us gain a better understanding of the various factors that influence PA behavior at different levels of motivation. This paper is important for Health Education professionals as it could facilitate the development of targeted interventions designed to increase PA behavior for ACHD patients.