Multimorbidity and Physical Activity in Adults
Author Information
Author(s): Catherine Hudon, Hassan Soubhi, Martin Fortin
Primary Institution: Department of Family Medicine, Sherbrooke University, Quebec, Canada
Hypothesis
Multimorbidity may be associated with a decreased physical activity level in adults.
Conclusion
Multimorbidity was not associated with physical activity levels in either sex, but long-term limitations on activity and poor-to-average self-rated general health were related to lower physical activity levels.
Supporting Evidence
- 46% of the participants were men.
- Men and women with long-term limitations on activity were less likely to be physically active.
- Women with high levels of psychological distress were less likely to be physically active.
Takeaway
Having multiple chronic diseases doesn't seem to affect how active adults are, but if they feel limited in their activities or rate their health poorly, they are less likely to exercise.
Methodology
The study used data from the Quebec Health Survey 1998 and analyzed the relationship between multimorbidity and physical activity levels using multinomial regressions.
Potential Biases
Potential recall bias and social desirability may have influenced respondents' answers.
Limitations
The study relied on self-reported data, which may be subject to recall bias and social desirability, and did not account for the severity of chronic diseases.
Participant Demographics
Participants were adults aged 18-69, with 46% men and a variety of education and income levels.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.0018
Confidence Interval
0.71 (0.53–0.96)
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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