Selected health behaviors moderate the progression of functional limitations in persons with multiple sclerosis: Eleven years of annual follow-up

Alexa K Stuifbergen; Shelley Blozis; Heather Becker; Tracie Harrison; Vicki Kullberg

doi:10.1016/j.dhjo.2016.01.006

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Selected health behaviors moderate the progression of functional limitations in persons with multiple sclerosis: Eleven years of annual follow-up

Journal article

Peer reviewed

Selected health behaviors moderate the progression of functional limitations in persons with multiple sclerosis: Eleven years of annual follow-up

Alexa K Stuifbergen, Shelley Blozis, Heather Becker, Tracie Harrison and Vicki Kullberg

Disability and health journal, Vol.9(3), pp.472-478

07/01/2016

DOI: 10.1016/j.dhjo.2016.01.006

PMCID: PMC4903890

PMID: 26905974

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https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/4903890View

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Abstract

Multiple sclerosis (MS), a chronic neurological disease typically diagnosed in young adulthood, presents with a wide variety of symptoms, impairments and functional limitations. Given the chronic, unpredictable and long-term nature of this disease, preserving function is essential. The purpose of this study was to identify psychosocial and behavioral factors that might influence the trajectory of functional limitation through eleven years of longitudinal follow-up of a sample of persons with MS. Participants (N = 606) completed measures of health behaviors, related constructs and functional limitations annually over eleven years. Longitudinal measures of functional limitations were analyzed using random-effects regression that allows for study of individual differences in the trajectories of a measure. Using the best fitting quadratic growth model, we tested the within and between-person effects of Nutrition, Interpersonal Relationships, Exercise, Stress Management, Health Responsibilities, Spiritual Growth, Self-rated Health and Barriers, controlling for Age, Year since Diagnosis and Year of Dropout, on Functional Limitations in the 11th year. After adjusting for covariates, higher mean scores for Exercise and Self-rated Health were related to lower levels of Functional Limitations in Year 11. Higher mean scores for Stress Management, Health Responsibilities and Barriers were related to higher levels of Functional Limitations in Year 11. Higher mean Exercise scores and lower mean Health Responsibilities scores were related to slower rates of progression of functional limitations in Year 11. Findings suggest that the highly variable trajectory of functional limitations in MS may be extended and shaped through health behavior strategies.

Activities of Daily Living

Adaptation, Psychological

Adult

Aged

Aged, 80 and over

Diagnostic Self Evaluation

Diet

Disability Evaluation

Disabled Persons

Disease Progression

Exercise

Female

Follow-Up Studies

Health Behavior

Health Status

Humans

Interpersonal Relations

Longitudinal Studies

Male

Middle Aged

Multiple Sclerosis - complications

Spirituality

Young Adult

Details

Title: Subtitle: Selected health behaviors moderate the progression of functional limitations in persons with multiple sclerosis: Eleven years of annual follow-up
Creators: Alexa K Stuifbergen - The University of Texas at Austin
Shelley Blozis - University of California, Davis
Heather Becker - The University of Texas at Austin
Tracie Harrison - The University of Texas at Austin
Vicki Kullberg - The University of Texas at Austin
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Disability and health journal, Vol.9(3), pp.472-478
DOI: 10.1016/j.dhjo.2016.01.006
PMID: 26905974
PMCID: PMC4903890
NLM abbreviation: Disabil Health J
ISSN: 1936-6574
eISSN: 1876-7583
Grant note: R01 NR003195 / NINR NIH HHS
Language: English
Date published: 07/01/2016
Academic Unit: Nursing
Record Identifier: 9984696564602771

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