The Moderating Effect of Exercise on the Relationship Between Comorbidities and Health-Related Quality of Life in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis

초록

The purpose of this study was to examine whether regular exercise moderates the impact of comorbidities on quality of life (QoL) among adults with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). RA often co-occurs with comorbidities that impair QoL, and although regular exercise is known to improve physical and psychological outcomes, its moderating role in the comorbidity–QoL relationship has been understudied, particularly in Korean populations. This cross-sectional study analyzed data from 152 adults with RA using the 2019–2021 Korea Health Panel data. QoL was measured with the EQ-5D, and hierarchical multiple regression as well as moderation analysis (PROCESS macro) were employed. The results showed that older age and a higher number of comorbidities were associated with lower QoL, while having a spouse and being economically active were associated with higher QoL. Regular exercise had a significant moderating effect on the relationship between comorbidities and QoL. The negative impact of comorbidity burden on QoL was observed only in participants who did not engage in regular exercise. These findings suggest that regular exercise may mitigate the negative impact of comorbidities on QoL in individuals with RA and highlight the need to incorporate physical activity into personalized nursing interventions and national care guidelines for older adults with RA in South Korea.

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