Wheelchair MSers needed for wellness study

[ActiveMSers]

Health Behavior and Wellness Outcomes with Wheelchair Use

Who: The Exercise Neuroscience Research Laboratory at the University of Alabama, Birmingham

Qualifications: Diagnosis of multiple sclerosis, use of a wheelchair half of the day or more, willingness to complete questionnaires, wear the accelerometer, and return it in a pre-paid envelope via the U.S. Postal Service, Internet access

Area: Nationwide

Purpose: Researchers invite you to participate in a voluntary study of health behaviors in adults with multiple sclerosis who use wheelchairs.

Type of MS: PPMS|PRMS|RRMS|SPMS
Treatment mode of action: n/a
Number of Subjects: 500
Medication: n/a
Location: Alabama|Alaska|Arizona|Arkansas|California|Colorad o|Connecticut|Delaware|Florida|Georgia|Hawaii|Idah o|Illinois|Indiana|Iowa|Kansas|Kentucky|Louisiana| Maine|Maryland|Massachusetts|Michigan|Minnesota|Mi ssissippi|Missouri|Montana|Nebraska|Nevada|New Hampshire|New Jersey|New Mexico|New York|North Carolina|North Dakota|Ohio|Oklahoma|Oregon|Pennsylvania|Rhode Island|South Carolina|South Dakota|Tennessee|Texas|Utah|Vermont|Virginia|Washi ngton|West Virginia|Wisconsin|Wyoming

Institutions: University of Alabama at Birmingham
Contact Information
Stephanie Silveira, enrl@uabmc.edu
205-975-1306

Funding:
The Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers

Description
Very little is known about health behaviors and the impact on symptoms in adults with MS who use wheelchairs. The Exercise Neuroscience Research Laboratory at the University of Alabama, Birmingham invites you to participate in a voluntary study of health behaviors in adults with multiple sclerosis who use wheelchairs.

You will be sent an activity monitor to wear for a period of 7 days and links to questionnaires to complete over the 7 days. Participants will be compensated

Eligibility

• Diagnosis of multiple sclerosis
• Use of a wheelchair ≥50% of the day
• Willingness to complete questionnaires, wear the accelerometer, and return it in a pre-paid envelope via the U.S. Postal Service
• Internet Access

[ActiveMSers]

I got my wrist accelerometer and I started the 1-week study Sunday! Super easy. Wear the wristband during waking hours (except for swimming/showering), and answer a few surveys. This will give researchers valuable insight (I hope) into life in a wheelchair. Of course Sunday was a bike day, so it will show I wasn't too much of a sloth. I was going to hook it up to my ceiling fan today. KIDDING!

They are still looking for volunteers....

[ActiveMSers]

There is also a diet component to the study, where they ask you exactly what you ate and drank in a 24-hour period (random days). I fear my Cheeto and IPA habits are about to be disclosed. Gulp!

[ActiveMSers]

I wrapped up my participation in the study the other day. It was pretty darn straightforward. I wore the accelerometer during waking hours (except for showers) and took a total of six surveys—three at the start and three on diet at random times to see what I ate and drank on random days during the 7-day trial.

Looking forward to the research! I hope I get to see details and I wonder what my bike days look like on their charts. Probably sorta strange. And since I was at home mostly, and not rolling through zoos or parks, I imagine my activity level might look a little lower than what it might normally be, but not dramatically.