The role of social support in the relationship between physical activity and health-related quality of life among adults with visual impairments

Abstract

BackgroundStudies support assertions that more social support may be related to higher physical activity behavior, which may, in turn, relate to higher health-related quality of life (HRQoL). However, these relationships remain unexplored, particularly among adults with visual impairments. ObjectiveThe purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between physical activity-specific social support, physical activity participation, and HRQoL among adults with visual impairments. MethodsThis cross-sectional study utilized an online survey methodology. Adults with visual impairments (n = 251) were recruited via three visual impairment LISTSERVs housed in the USA and completed four questionnaires. Data were analyzed using (a) a descriptive analysis, (b) one sample t-test, and (c) structural equation modeling to examine the relations among social support, physical activity, and HRQoL components. ResultsThe participants reported relatively low weekly physical activity participation, with mean physical activity about 1362.02 ± 1231.37 MET-min/week. Compared to the mean T-scores of the general adult US population, the participants had significantly lower physical (43.56 ± 6.76, t = −15.10, p < .01) and mental components of HRQoL (38.24 ± 11.37, t = −16.39, p < .01). Structural equational modeling results show that social support positively predicted weekly physical activity participation (β = 0.11), which, in turn, predicted physical component (β = 0.12) but not mental component HRQoL (β = 0.04, p > .05). ConclusionsOur participant sample reported significantly lower HRQoL than the general US populations. The findings suggest that social support can both directly and indirectly, through physical activity, influence psychological HRQoL among adults with visual impairments.