Background: Achieving personal wellness and quality of life is a high priority for people living with multiple sclerosis. As evidence supporting the benefits of lifestyle and wellness interventions for people with MS increases, so is the need for people living with MS to gain access to effective wellness information and programs (e.g., Sweet et al., 2013; Motl & McAuley, 2014). The National Multiple Sclerosis Society defines wellness as
a lifelong, personalized process through which people make informed choices about their lifestyle behaviors, and activities across multiple, interrelated dimensions in order to lead their best lives. The Society provides and connects people with MS to a variety of wellness-oriented programs in their communities. Programs are varied in delivery and content (e.g., yoga, aquatics, mindfulness, fitness), yet share a common goal of addressing one or more of the dimensions of wellness and aim to enlighten (increase knowledge), encourage (increase self-efficacy) and empower (increase skills) participants to engage in behaviors and make personal choices that support health and wellness.
Objectives: To develop an evaluation strategy relevant to a variety of activities aimed at improving one of the dimensions of wellness: physical, emotional, social, intellectual, occupational, spiritual. Assess the extent to which involvement in the program leads to increased knowledge, enhanced confidence, self-efficacy, and behavior change.
Methods: We created a formal evaluation plan and used a retrospective, self-reported, post-program, electronic survey composed of general and validated survey questions. The survey also included demographics, program satisfaction and questions regarding behavioral and attitudinal change pre-program to post-program.
Results: Preliminary examination of 547 participants from over 15 states shows average age 55.51 yrs, 77% PwMS, 54% experiencing moderate disability. Repeated Measures ANOVA were run finding a significant decrease in stress, F(1,198)=118.60, p< .001, Eta2=.38 and significant increase in MS specific self-efficacy, F(1,175)=89.75, p< .001; Eta2=.34. Additional findings include self-reported improved overall health, behavior change (86%), empowerment and program satisfaction. Results provide non-causal evidence of impact by examining constructs central to empowerment and quality of life. Specifically, increased self-efficacy is linked to quality of life and fewer depressive symptoms (Farrell et al., 2004; Amtmann et al., 2012), and may translate to improved management of MS. Participants also reported making positive behavior changes and gaining usable knowledge in multiple areas of wellness.
Conclusions: Our data show that wellness programs, designed to enlighten, encourage and/or empower, delivered in the community, can stimulate a desire for behavior change or actual behavior change in one or more dimensions of wellness.
