1. Exercise and health-related quality of life and work-related outcomes in primary care patients with anxiety disorders - A randomized controlled study.
- Author
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Wall A, Henriksson M, Nyberg J, Holmgren K, Isgaard J, Lennartsson AK, Svensson J, Danielsson L, Waern M, Åberg M, and Åberg ND
- Subjects
- Humans, Male, Adult, Female, Middle Aged, Young Adult, Adolescent, Presenteeism statistics & numerical data, Aged, Treatment Outcome, Exercise, Follow-Up Studies, Quality of Life psychology, Sick Leave statistics & numerical data, Primary Health Care, Anxiety Disorders therapy, Anxiety Disorders psychology, Exercise Therapy methods
- Abstract
Background: Exercise interventions show promise in the treatment of anxiety disorders, but effects on health-related quality of life (HR-QoL), work ability, and sick leave are little studied. We investigated these outcomes in a 12-week randomized controlled trial with a 1-year follow-up., Methods: Patients aged 18-65 (n = 222) with anxiety disorders from primary care centers in Gothenburg were randomized to a control group or one of two 12-week exercise intervention groups (low-intensity, [LI] and moderate/high-intensity, [HI]); 148 were evaluated at 12-weeks and 113 completed the 1-year follow-up. The EuroQol 5D (EQ5D; index and the visual analogue scale [VAS]), work ability score (WAS), presenteeism, and self-reported sick leave were assessed at baseline, 12 weeks, and 1 year. Improvements were defined by binary cut-offs for each scale. Binary logistic regression with odds ratios (OR) and 95 % confidence intervals (CI) were reported., Results: There were improved scores for EQ5D and WAS in the HI group compared to controls after 12 weeks (EQ5D index: 4.74 [1.91-11.7], EQ5D-VAS 4.00, [1.65-9.72], WAS 3.41 [1.24-7.37]) and 1 year (EQ5D index: 3.05 [1.05-8.81], EQ5D-VAS 3.20 [1.16-8.84], WAS 5.50 [1.85-16.3]). Post-hoc analysis showed higher ORs in participants on antidepressants (n = 75) (12-week EQ5D index: OR 9.95 [2.85-34.8]) and significant improvements in EQ5D scores for both intervention groups after 1 year. There were no between-group differences for presenteeism or sick leave., Limitations: Discontinuation was high, mostly early after randomization (n = 74), as is common for anxiety interventions., Conclusions: HI Exercise improves HR-QoL and work ability in anxiety patients, especially when combined with antidepressants., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper to disclose., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)
- Published
- 2024
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