Jamal M. Alzahrani

Background/Objectives: Digital programs may extend physical activity support beyond clinic visits, but qualitative evidence on how adults with chronic diseases in Saudi Arabia perceive them is limited. This study explored perceptions, expectations, and acceptability among such adults who had continued using the physical activity function of Sehhaty, the Ministry of Health’s national health application, which served as the reference point. Methods: A COREQ-reported qualitative descriptive study was conducted in chronic disease units at three tertiary centres in Riyadh between December 2025 and February 2026. Semi-structured interviews were held with a purposive sample of 14 adults (38–72 years; 8 women, 6 men) with type 2 diabetes mellitus, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, or combinations, all of whom had used the program independently for 4–16 weeks. Recruitment and analysis proceeded iteratively across two stages (18 approached). Data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Results: Four themes were developed: reframed expectations of what a technology-based presence could offer; a gap between perceived usefulness and everyday usability; the dual motivational and discouraging potential of numerical feedback; and the expectation that programs fit Islamic practice, family involvement, and climate constraints. Conclusions: For these participants, acceptability depended on ease of use, natural Arabic wording, reminders and suggestions that fit prayer times, family routines, and summer heat, and feedback that recognised health circumstances. Because all participants were sustained users, the findings do not estimate acceptability in the wider population.

Background: Physical inactivity is common among people living with chronic non-communicable disease, and nurses are frequently the professionals with the most sustained patient contact. How nursing support for physical activity is experienced by patients, and how nurses understand their own role in providing it, remain poorly described. Objective: To explore how patients with chronic diseases and nursing professionals describe nursing support for physical activity and exercise adherence, and where their accounts converge or diverge. Methods: A qualitative descriptive study using individual semi-structured interviews and reflexive thematic analysis. Seventeen participants (nine patients with chronic diseases and eight nursing professionals) were purposively recruited from five healthcare institutions in the Riyadh region of Saudi Arabia. Interviews lasted 30 to 60 min (mean 45 min) and were conducted between December 2025 and February 2026. No quantitative measures of exercise frequency, intensity, duration, or session regularity were collected, so the study reports perceptions and experiences rather than measured adherence, and no causal relationships were examined. Rigor was addressed through researcher reflexivity, member checking, peer debriefing, and an audit trail; reporting follows COREQ. Results: Five themes were constructed: (1) Nursing-Facilitated Empowerment Through Education and Guidance; (2) Personalized Support and Accountability Mechanisms; (3) Barriers and Facilitators to Exercise Adherence; (4) Perceived Health Benefits and Motivation Enhancement; and (5) Gaps in Current Nursing Practice and Opportunities for Enhancement. Participants identified individualized explanation, graduated goal-setting, correction of fear-based misconceptions, scheduled exercise-specific review, and family involvement as the components of support they valued most, and lapsed follow-up, generic advice, limited interdisciplinary coordination, and scarce patient resources as the principal shortfalls. Conclusions: Patients and nurses in this setting described sustained, individualized nursing support as central to how patients engage with exercise, while both groups identified structural constraints that limit it. These accounts indicate targets that intervention studies with objective activity measurement could test; they do not establish that nursing support changes exercise behavior.

Background: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) represents a significant global health challenge, with physical activity recognized as a cornerstone of effective disease management. Nurse-guided physical activity programs offer a promising approach to enhancing glycemic control and quality of life; however, patients’ lived experiences of such interventions remain underexplored, particularly in Middle Eastern contexts. Aim: To explore the perceived experiences of patients with T2DM participating in a nurse-guided physical activity program and understand its role in improving their health outcomes and quality of life. Methods: A qualitative descriptive design was employed. Sixteen adults with T2DM who completed a 12-week nurse-guided physical activity program were purposively recruited from multiple healthcare institutions in Saudi Arabia, including both public and private facilities. Semi-structured interviews were conducted using a 20-item interview guide. Data were analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s six-phase reflexive thematic analysis. Trustworthiness was ensured through member checking, peer debriefing, and maintaining an audit trail. The study adhered to the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research (COREQ) guidelines. Results: Four overarching themes emerged: (1) Transformative Health Journey, encompassing perceived physiological improvements and enhanced energy levels; (2) Psychological Awakening, reflecting improved mood, self-efficacy, and reduced diabetes-related distress; (3) The Pivotal Role of Nursing Support, highlighting the significance of professional guidance, monitoring, and therapeutic relationships; and (4) Navigating Challenges and Charting Future Directions, addressing barriers, facilitators, and recommendations for program enhancement. Conclusions: Nurse-guided physical activity programs offer multidimensional benefits for patients with T2DM, extending beyond physiological improvements to encompass psychological well-being and lifestyle transformation. Nursing professionals play a critical role in motivating, educating, and supporting patients throughout their health journey. These findings support the integration of nurse-led physical activity interventions into routine diabetes care.