The influence of a physical exercise programme on functional and instrumental social support in multiple sclerosis

Abstract

Background: Recent studies highlight the importance of social support in multiple sclerosis (MS). Social support is included in the prognostic risk factors and is believed to correlate statistically significant with an early development of chronic disability. Goals: To examine whether and how social support was positively influenced when following a physical exercise program. Method: 75 patients where included in a larger multilevel and longitudinal study examining quality of life issues in MS. Social support was studied before, during and after a structured physical program although the results from the initial screening are present. Statistical analyses will included parametric testing (within design) and determination of how much of the variation between patients is accounted for by the factor(s) identified as significant using SPSS 15.0. Results: Preliminary results are based on the first 25 persons with a mean ages of 45,28 (±8,46) years and a Expanded Disability Status Scale of 4,48 (±1,57) indicating significant restrictions in several functions and assistance can be warranted. Most of them (60%) are still functional although some motor limitations are present. Social support was examined for both the actual transactions and satisfaction between the actual level and the desired level of supportive interactions at baseline. Considering the mean scores, social companionship (mean =11,52 ± 3,07) and daily instrumental support (mean = 7,40 ± 1,96) occurred less than daily social emotional and problem orientated social emotional support (mean = 14,20 ± 2,99; 14,96 ± 2,53) in this population. Considering the mean scores for the satisfaction, the actual number of transactions concurred well with the desired number of transactions for most subscales with the lowest satisfaction for social companionship. Discussion: The pursuit of studying prognostic risk factors is driven by the prospect that appropriate intervention, early in the course of the problem directed at the risk factor may delay chronic disability. By the end of the summer, our research team can present results from three different measurements from the influence of an exercise program on instrumental and functional social support.