Research ArticlePilot study exploring quality of life and barriers to leisure-time physical activity in persons with moderate to severe multiple sclerosis
Section snippets
Study participants
Researchers sequentially (February-August 2004) recruited a convenience sample of 43 participants from among 50 eligible people at the MS Comprehensive Care Center, Stony Brook University Hospital, Stony Brook, NY, USA. The study was approved by the university's Committee on Research Involving Human Subjects. Inclusion criteria were a diagnosis of MS and an Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) score of 6.0 (unilateral assistance required to walk 100 m), 6.5 (bilateral assistance required to
Results
Table 3 shows that the bivariate correlations of the impairment variables with the PADS and NLQ are quite different. The PADS' relationship was statistically significant with the NLQ and the 2 cognition measures (positively correlated) and depression (negatively correlated). The NLQ's relationship was statistically significant with apathy and depression (negatively correlated), self-efficacy, and physical and mental QOL (positively correlated). Neither the PADS nor the NLQ had a statistically
Discussion
The results suggest that lower levels of impairment-related barriers (depression, cognitive impairment, apathy, and reduced self-efficacy but not fatigue) are associated with higher physical and leisure/recreation activity levels. This is consistent with existing research on MS which indicates that higher self-efficacy is associated with higher levels of physical activity while depression and apathy are associated with lower activity levels [1], [2], [3], [4], [5]. The results also suggest that
Conclusion
There is preliminary evidence that impairments (physiological/psychological barriers) combined with disabilities (social/environmental barriers) might reduce participation in physical and leisure/recreation activities to the detriment of QOL for people with moderate/severe MS. Results indicate that higher levels of physical and leisure/recreation activity are associated with lower levels of apathy and depression and higher levels of cognition, self-efficacy, QOL-physical, and QOL-mental. To
Acknowledgments
Supported by a 2003 pilot grant (PP0950) from the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.
The authors thank the following individuals for their assistance in research design, data collection, and analysis for this study: former occupational therapy students, Christine M. Badalamenti, M.S., OTR/L, Hoknang Cheung, M.S., OTR/L, and Amy Liu, M.S. (SBU OT Program); Patricia Melville, R.N., and William MacAllister, Ph.D. (SBU Hospital Department of Neurology); and Marcia Finlayson, Ph.D. (Department of
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Poster presentation of the initial results was displayed at the American Occupational Therapy Association annual meeting, Long Beach, CA, May 12–15, 2005.