WS05.2 30 day challenge – using social media to support adult CF patients to exercise in the adult CF service Dundee

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Objectives To use social media as a medium to encourage CF patients to exercise and support each other. Methods Ten patients already using Facebook regularly signed up to the 30 day challenge in November 2014. The challenge consisted of a daily increase in number of squats, press ups and sit ups with every fourth day a rest day. A closed group was set up on Facebook with access only for patients and staff. The patients were encouraged to post entries regarding progress and any barriers faced. Results One patient stopped the challenged due to a prolonged hospital admission. One patient did not use his Facebook account but partially completed the challenge. Seven patients almost fully completed the challenge. Up to nine patients viewed the posts by staff with three of them regularly posting comments. Five of the patients found using Facebook kept them motivated to continue with the challenge and to try and encourage others. Conclusion This was a small pilot study using social media. As half the patients found it maintained their motivation to exercise we will roll this out to more patients in 2015 trying four challenges. We are also working with the paediatric physiotherapy team to include families of children with CF for the new challenges.