title: Symptoms and physical activity behavior in individuals with multiple sclerosis.
abstract: We examined overall and specific symptoms as correlates of physical activity in individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS). Participants (N = 133) completed questionnaires that measured overall symptoms; and specific symptoms of depression, pain, and fatigue; difficulty walking; and physical activity. Initial analyses indicated that higher levels of overall symptoms (r = -.50), fatigue (r = -.26), and difficulty walking (r = -.46) were associated with lower levels of physical activity. Path analysis demonstrated that higher levels of overall symptoms were directly and indirectly associated with lower levels of physical activity; the indirect pathway involved difficulty walking (gamma beta = -.17). Such findings indicate that walking difficulty may partially explain the negative relationship between overall symptoms and physical activity behavior in MS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Kinesiology and Community Health, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 350 Freer Hall, Urbana, IL 61801, USA.
authors.forename: Robert W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Motl
authors.forename: Erin M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Snook
authors.forename: Randall T
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Schapiro
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living / Q000523:psychology; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology; D005221:Fatigue / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006293:Health Promotion; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015146:Midwestern United States; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D010146:Pain / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D012657:Self-Help Groups; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D018434:Sickness Impact Profile; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016138:Walking / Q000523:psychology