Correlates of Exercise among Persons with Arthritis

Abstract

1362 Despite the numerous health benefits of exercise for people with arthritis, the percentage of people with arthritis that participate in regular exercise is lower than that of the general population. Little is known about the correlates of exercise among persons with arthritis. PURPOSE: To examine the correlates of exercise among persons with self-reported arthritis. METHODS: Questionnaire data (arthritis pain, tension, mood and overall arthritis impact from the AIMS survey; self-efficacy; social support; and demographic information) were obtained from a convenience sample of individuals (n = 43) recruited to an on-going qualitative study on exercise and arthritis. Total minutes of exercise per week were calculated using a modified version of the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System physical activity questions. Pearson correlations were used to examine exercise correlates. RESULTS: Fifty-eight percent of participants were regular exercisers (30+ mins of moderate exercise on 3+ days per week or 20+ minutes of vigorous exercise or strength training on 3+days per week) and 42% were sedentary (≤ 1 day per week of exercise). Minutes per week of exercise reported by regular exercisers and sedentary individuals were 235 ± 129 and 20.6 ± 30, respectively (p< 0.0001). Self-efficacy (r = 0.56, p = 0.001) was positively associated with exercise. Arthritis pain (r = −0.41, p< 0.01), greater tension (r = −0.42, p< 0.01), greater negative impact of arthritis (r = −0. 38, p<0.05), negative mood (r = −0.32, p<0.05) and receiving advice from a doctor on exercise (r = −0.43, p<0.01) were negatively associated with exercise. No associations were detected for age, education level, social support or for having single versus multiple types of arthritis. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that high self-efficacy for overcoming barriers to exercise is associated with exercise among persons with arthritis. Interestingly, many of the outcomes that could be enhanced by exercise (e.g., pain, tension) were also found to be barriers to exercise. Additional research on the correlates of PA for persons with arthritis is warranted in order to guide recruitment and intervention activities. Supported by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Association of Schools of Public Health