Exploring the facilitators and barriers to engagement in physical activity for people with multiple sclerosis.
OBJECTIVE
To explore the relationship that cognitive behavioural and other previously identified variables have with physical activity engagement in people with multiple sclerosis (MS).


METHODS
This study adopted a cross-sectional questionnaire design. Participants were 282 individuals with MS. Outcome measures included the Physical Activity Disability Survey--Revised, Cognitive and Behavioural Responses to Symptoms Questionnaire, Barriers to Health Promoting Activities for Disabled Persons Scale, Multiple Sclerosis Self-efficacy Scale, Self-Efficacy for Chronic Diseases Scales and Chalder Fatigue Questionnaire.


RESULTS
Multivariable stepwise regression analyses found that greater self-efficacy, greater reported mental fatigue and lower number of perceived barriers to physical activity accounted for a significant proportion of variance in physical activity behaviour, over that accounted for by illness-related variables. Although fear-avoidance beliefs accounted for a significant proportion of variance in the initial analyses, its effect was explained by other factors in the final multivariable analyses.


CONCLUSIONS
Self-efficacy, mental fatigue and perceived barriers to physical activity are potentially modifiable variables which could be incorporated into interventions designed to improve physical activity engagement. Future research should explore whether a measurement tool tailored to capture beliefs about physical activity identified by people with MS would better predict participation in physical activity.
Kayes
Nicola M
NM
Health and Rehabilitation Research Institute, AUT University, Private Bag 92006, Auckland, 1142 New Zealand. nkayes@aut.ac.nz
McPherson
Kathryn M
KM
Schluter
Philip
P
Taylor
Denise
D
Leete
Marta
M
Kolt
Gregory S
GS
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000458:organization & administration; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016743:Mental Competency; D005222:Mental Fatigue / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D011597:Psychomotor Performance; D058996:Quality Improvement; D020377:Self Efficacy; D018434:Sickness Impact Profile; D012932:Social Facilitation; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires