Does the relationship between physical activity and quality of life differ based on generic versus disease-targeted instruments?
BACKGROUND
There has been an increased interest in the study of physical activity and its relationship with quality of life (QOL) and health-related quality of life (HRQL) in chronic disease conditions. The investigations have used either generic or disease-targeted instruments for measuring QOL and HRQL, but have not examined differences in the associations as a function of the types of instruments.


OBJECTIVE
The present study examined the associations among physical activity, QOL, and HRQL using generic and disease-targeted instruments in persons with multiple sclerosis (MS).


METHODS
Participants were 292 individuals with MS who wore an accelerometer for 7 days and then completed the Godin Leisure-Time Exercise Questionnaire (GLTEQ), Multiple Sclerosis Impact Scale-29 (MSIS-29), Leeds Multiple Sclerosis Quality of Life Scale (LMSQOL), Short Form-12 Health Survey (SF-12), and Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS).


RESULTS
Accelerometer counts and GLTEQ scores had similarly sized correlations with scores from generic (SF-12) and the disease-specific (MSIS-29) measures of HRQL and generic (SWLS) and the disease-specific (LMSQOL) measures of QOL. Path analysis indicated a similar pattern of directional relationships between accelerometer counts and GLTEQ scores with physical and mental HRQL and, in turn, physical and mental HRQL with QOL using generic and disease-targeted instruments.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results suggest that in cross-sectional analysis, physical activity is similarly related with QOL and HRQL using generic and disease-targeted instruments in persons with MS.
Motl
Robert W
RW
Department of Kinesiology and Community Health, University of Illinois, 332 Freer Hall, Urbana, IL 61801, USA. robmotl@uiuc.edu
McAuley
Edward
E
Snook
Erin M
EM
Gliottoni
Rachael C
RC
D000328:Adult; D015444:Exercise / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008960:Models, Psychological; D015233:Models, Statistical; D020529:Multiple Sclerosis, Relapsing-Remitting / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D005082:Physical Exertion; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000379:methods*; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012647:Self-Assessment; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires