Relationship Between Participation in Daily Life Activities and Physical Activity in Stroke Survivors: A Protocol for a Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses-Based Data Synthesis

Abstract

Background: Stroke survivors undertake low levels of physical activity and participation in daily life activities, but there are no reviews on the relationship between physical activity and participation. This systematic review and meta-analyses-based data synthesis will aim to cross-sectionally and longitudinally describe and estimate the relationship between participation in daily life activities and physical activity in stroke survivors. Methods and analysis: This protocol follows the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Protocols (PRISMA-P). Six databases (PudMed, Web of Science, Scopus, PEDro, SPORTDiscus, and Rehabilitation & Sport Medicine Source) will be searched using terms grouped into three categories: stroke, physical activity, and participation in daily life activities. Observational and experimental studies assessing participation and physical activity levels in adult stroke survivors in English or Spanish will be included. The methodological quality of the studies will be assessed independently by 2 investigators, with the Newcastle-Ottawa scale. Study and sample characteristics, and physical activity and participation outcome data will be extracted. Additionally, if available, repeated measures and correlation values between physical activity and participation outcomes will be extracted. The Hedges-Olkin method will be used for pooling correlation values and a random-effects meta-analysis following restricted maximum likelihood estimation for pooling effect sizes of those studies prospectively assessing the same measures of participation and physical activity. Subgroup analyses will be performed if a sufficient number of studies are found. Heterogeneity between studies results will be analyzed using I2 statistics, and publication bias will be examined using funnel plots and Egger's tests. Discussion: This will be the first systematic review with meta-analysis-based data synthesis to provide information on the relationship between physical activity and participation in stroke survivors. Findings are likely to inform, the design of health prevention protocols and the development of healthy behavior change interventions.