Promotion of Exercise Behavior Among Rural-Residing African-Americans With Multiple Sclerosis
The proposed project involves a high-quality randomized controlled (RCT) design that examines the effects of a remotely-delivered, racially-tailored exercise training program for immediate and sustained improvement in walking dysfunction, symptoms, and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) among African-Americans with MS residing in rural environments. The primary analysis will test the hypothesis that those who are randomly assigned into the intervention condition (i.e., exercise training) will demonstrate (a) improvements in outcomes from baseline that (b) are sustained over 4-months of follow-up compared with those in the control condition (i.e., stretching).
• English as primary language
• Identify as African-American or Black
• Age of 18 years or older
• Diagnosis of MS
• Relapse free in the past 30 days
• Internet and email access
• Willingness to complete the outcome questionnaires
• Willingness to undergo randomization
• Insufficient physical activity (not meeting current physical activity guidelines based on GLTEQ)
• Mild-moderate ambulatory disability (MSWS-12 score between 25-49 \& PDDS score between 2-4)