Related Experiment Videos
A randomized clinical trial of a wellness intervention for women with multiple sclerosis
Alexa K Stuifbergen1, Heather Becker, Shelley Blozis
1University of Texas at Austin School of Nursing, Austin, TX 78701, USA. astuifbergen@mail.utexas.edu
Objective:
To examine the effects of a wellness intervention program for women with multiple sclerosis (MS) on health behaviors and quality of life (QOL).
Design:
Randomized clinical trial.
Setting:
Community setting in the southwestern United States.
Participants:
Convenience sample of 113 women with physician-confirmed MS (mean age, 45.79y).
Interventions:
The 2-phase intervention program included lifestyle-change classes for 8 weeks, then telephone follow-up for 3 months. Participants were followed over an 8-month period.
Main Outcome Measures:
A series of self-report instruments to measure barriers, resources, self-efficacy for health behaviors, health promotion behaviors, and health-related QOL were completed at baseline, 2 months (after the classes), 5 months (after telephone follow-up), and at 8 months. Principal outcomes measures were health-promoting behaviors (scores on the Health Promoting Lifestyle Profile II) and QOL (scores on the Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey [SF-36] scales).
Results:
Hierarchical linear modeling techniques revealed a statistically significant group by time effect for self-efficacy for health behaviors, health-promoting behaviors, and the mental health and pain scales of the SF-36.
Conclusion:
These data provide initial support for the positive effects of wellness interventions to improve health behaviors and selected dimensions of QOL for women with MS.