The meaning of health to persons aging with longstanding multiple sclerosis.
Alexa K Stuifbergen, Heather Becker, Nani Kim
PMID 38953154WHAT IT FOUND
People aging with MS valued health as function and adaptation more than absence of disease.
Over 26 years, agreement with both definitions declined slightly, but self-rated health remained largely stable. Wellness-focused views linked to more health behaviors.
Key findings
01Participants consistently agreed more strongly with items reflecting a wellness-oriented view of health than those reflecting a more biomedical model of health.
02Scores on both clinical and wellness subscales decreased significantly over the 26-year period, though the effect sizes were small.
03Stronger agreement with a wellness definition of health was associated with more frequent health behaviors, while a clinical definition was associated with fewer health behaviors.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for SLPsWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The sample consisted of long-term 'survivors' who were younger and less impaired at baseline than those who dropped out, potentially biasing results toward a more resilient population. Quality of life measures differed between Time 1 and Time 26, preventing direct comparison of relationships over time. The study relied on self-reported data, which is subject to recall and response bias. The sample was predominantly white, non-Hispanic, and female, limiting generalizability.
Declared interests
The authors declare no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that stable self-rated health means no change in health perception. Agreement with both clinical and wellness definitions of health decreased significantly over the 26 years, suggesting a shift in how health is conceptualized, even if overall rating remained similar.