The Good Life : Assessing the Relative Importance of Physical, Psychological, and Self-Efficacy Statuses on Quality of Well-Being in Osteoarthritis Patients

Abstract EN

Background and Purpose.

The purpose of the present study was to examine the interrelationships among physical dysfunction, self-efficacy, psychological distress, exercise, and quality of well-being for people with osteoarthritis.

It was predicted that exercise would mediate the relationships between physical dysfunction, self-efficacy, psychological distress, and quality of well-being.

Methods.

Participants were 363 individuals with osteoarthritis who were 60 years of age or older.

Data were collected from the baseline assessment period prior to participating in a social support and education intervention.

A series of structural equation models was used to test the predicted relationships among the variables.

Results.

Exercise did not predict quality of well-being and was not related to self-efficacy or psychological distress; it was significantly related to physical dysfunction.

When exercise was removed from the model, quality of life was significantly related to self-efficacy, physical dysfunction, and psychological distress.

Conclusions.

Engagement in exercise was directly related to physical functioning, but none of the other latent variables.

Alternatively, treatment focused on self-efficacy and psychological distress might be the most effective way to improve quality of well-being.