JavaScript is Disabled
Your browser's JavaScript functionality is disabled. It has to be enabled to use this function of ConfTool.
Here you can find information on how to enable JavaScript
If you have any problems, please contact the organisers at info@hepa2026.si.

Conference Agenda

Overview and details of the sessions of this conference. Please select a date or location to show only sessions at that day or location. Please select a single session for detailed view (with abstracts and downloads if available).

Daily Overview

Session

Import to your local calendar

GR1_1_4: Pitch oral & HEPA promotion in Healthcare settings Working Group Meeting

Time:

Tuesday, 08/Sept/2026:

4:40pm - 6:00pm

Session Chair: Wolfgang Geidl
Session Chair: Suzanne Mc Donough

Location: Glass room 1

Presentations

4:40pm - 4:43pm

Current Practice of Physical Activity Counselling within Physiotherapy Usual Care in Ireland: A Cross-Sectional Survey

Suzanne McDonough, Faiza Chandio, Chantelle Gallagher, Helen French, Aoife Stephenson

RCSI, Ireland

Purpose: Physical Activity (PA) counselling during healthcare interactions has been identified as a potentially effective strategy in improving patient PA levels. Physiotherapists have expertise in PA, but little is known about how PA is currently promoted in physiotherapy practice in Ireland and factors that influence it. This survey aimed to investigate physiotherapy practice, knowledge, training and understanding of PA interventions during healthcare interactions, and the role of social prescribing.

Methods: An online survey link (hosted on REDcap) was distributed via the Irish Society of Chartered Physiotherapists and completed by physiotherapists working in any setting in the Republic of Ireland.

Results: 248 respondents took part, with 153 responses deemed eligible (76% female, 49% >20 years experience). 98% of physiotherapists raised/discussed PA frequently or often, 32% rarely assessed PA using an activity log and only 16% of physiotherapists frequently refer patients to community-based exercise programmes. Furthermore, only 41% felt patients were ready for community referral. Awareness around social prescribing was limited; 44% were aware of the Health Service Executive Social Prescribing framework and regarded as a high priority by only 16% of respondents.

Conclusions: Despite the finding that PA is discussed in most interactions with patients, there was limited awareness of PA interventions available in the community and how to transition patients into the community. However, perception of physiotherapists’ role in promoting PA and the benefit of PA counselling was encouraging. Results can inform future studies aimed at PA promotion in healthcare settings and maximise potential frameworks for implementation success.

4:43pm - 4:46pm

Associations between different intensities of leisure-time physical activity and subsequent psychotropic medication: a 3-year follow-up study

Lari Järvensivu, Ville Päivärinne, Niko Oikarinen, Ossi Rahkonen, Tea Lallukka

University of Helsinki, Finland

Background and aim of the study

Physical activity has been shown to reduce the risk of future psychotropic medication. However, previous studies have not examined the role physical activity intensity. Consequently, this study aimed to examine associations between different intensities of leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) and subsequent psychotropic medication purchases.

Methods

The study was conducted on Helsinki Health Study (HHS) questionnaire data collected from 19–39-year-old employees of the City of Helsinki in 2017 and linked register data from 2014 to 2020 on psychotropic medication purchases (82.5% gave linkage permission). Those with ongoing psychotropic medication (n=334) were excluded. The final analytical sample consisted of 3766 participants (80.5% women). Weekly hours for light (LPA), moderate (MPA) and vigorous (VPA) LTPA were examined as separate variables. Mean follow-up time was 3.2 years. Cox’s regression results are reported as hazard ratios (HR) for the first psychotropic medication purchase.

Results

Of the participants, 15.6% had a recorded psychotropic medication purchase during the follow-up. Similarly, 11.8% had purchases in the prior 3 years. Adjusting gender and age none of the intensities of LTPA were associated with future psychotropic medication. Further adjustment for prior psychotropic medication did not change the results (HR = 1.01, 95% CI, 0.99–1.02 for LPA; HR = 1.00, 95% CI, 0.97–1.03 for MPA; HR = 0.97, 95% CI, 0.93–1.01 for VPA).

Conclusions

Regardless of intensity LTPA was not associated with future psychotropic medication purchases. More research is needed to clarify the role of specific intensities of LTPA.

4:46pm - 4:49pm

Determinants of macro- and microvascular function in physically active young adults: the role of blood pressure, sex, and aerobic capacity

Simon Iskra¹, Gašper Turnšek¹, Armin Paravlić^1,2,3

1: Faculty of sport, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia; 2: Science and Research Centre, Koper, Institute for Kinesiology Research, Koper, Slovenia; 3: Faculty of Sport Studies, Incubator of Kinanthropology Research, Masaryk University, 625 00 Brno, Czech Republic

The aim of this study was to assess the influence of blood pressure, sex, and aerobic capacity on central and peripheral vascular function in healthy, active individuals.

Methods: Fifty apparently healthy, physically active participants aged 18-30 years were included in the study. Aerobic capacity was measured using a cardiopulmonary exercise test, blood pressure (BP) indices were measured using an oscillometric method. Central and peripheral arterial stiffness was measured using carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV) and brachial-radial PWV (brPWV). Microvascular reactivity (reoxyslope) was measured using near-infrared spectroscopy during a 5-minute vascular occlusion test. Participants were stratified based on blood pressure categories for one-way analysis of variance. A multivariable linear regression was used to assess the effect of participant characteristics on vascular function.

Results: Significant differences in cfPWV were observed between participants with optimal BP compared to those with high-normal BP, while no differences were observed in brPWV or reoxyslope. Linear regression analysis revealed a significant independent effect of systolic BP on cfPWV (R²_adj = 0.35, p < 0.001), sex and systolic BP on brPWV (R²_adj = 0.14, p = 0.03) and a significant effect of sex on reoxyslope (R²_adj = 0.16, p = 0.043).

Conclusions: In healthy adults, elevated blood pressure is associated with increased central and peripheral arterial stiffness, despite sufficient physical activity level. Females seem to exhibit higher microvascular reactivity and lower peripheral arterial stiffness, indicating differential mechanisms underlying the regulation of peripheral and central vascular function. Aerobic capacity doesn’t seem to influence any of the vascular function measures.

4:49pm - 4:52pm

A Primary Care Model for Obesity Management: Lessons from Oman

Amal Al Siyabi, Hanan Al Siyabi

Ministry of Health, Oman

Background:
Obesity is a major public health challenge in Oman and a leading contributor to noncommunicable diseases, including type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease. The Omani National Noncommunicable Disease Survey (2017) reported that 66% of adults are overweight or obese, highlighting a substantial burden on the health system. Despite this, structured obesity management in primary care remains limited, and obesity is often not treated as a chronic condition. Primary care–based obesity clinics offer an effective platform for early intervention, continuity of care, and patient-centered management. In July 2023, a multidisciplinary obesity clinic was established at Bidbid Health Centre to provide care focusing on lifestyle modification, education, motivation, and follow-up.

Methods:
Adult patients aged ≥18 years enrolled from July 2023 onward were included. All underwent assessment including history, physical examination, laboratory tests, and body composition analysis. Management followed a multidisciplinary approach emphasizing lifestyle modification, with anti-obesity medications used in selected cases. Follow-up visits occurred every two months. Outcomes included weight change and metabolic improvement over 6–12 months.

Results:
A total of 170 patients were registered. Fifty patients achieved weight loss of 3–15 kg, with only three requiring medications. Three patients with type 2 diabetes lost over 15 kg and discontinued insulin therapy. One hypertensive patient lost over 10 kg and stopped antihypertensive medication. Five patients with prediabetes or prehypertension achieved normalized metabolic parameters.

Conclusion:
A structured, multidisciplinary obesity clinic in primary care can achieve meaningful weight loss and metabolic improvement, demonstrating its potential to reduce obesity-related morbidity.