Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Language

English

Publication Date

5-8-2025

Journal

Pilot and Feasibility Studies

DOI

10.1186/s40814-025-01641-5

PMID

40340698

PMCID

PMC12060554

PubMedCentral® Posted Date

5-8-2025

PubMedCentral® Full Text Version

Post-print

Abstract

Background: Hispanic/Latino individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS) face greater disease burden and comorbidity due to limited healthcare access, underrepresentation in research, and social determinants of health (SDOH). Exercise training could manage health outcomes, but existing intervention research lacks Hispanic/Latino representation.

Methods: We propose a feasibility and efficacy study of a theory-based, remotely delivered exercise training intervention for enhancing health outcomes in Hispanics/Latinos with MS. This study involves a randomized controlled trial (RCT) design and compares an MS-specific exercise training program with an active control condition over a 4-month period in a sample of 50 individuals who self-identified as Hispanic/Latino with MS. The sample will be recruited through MS networks and healthcare organizations serving a high proportion of Hispanics/Latinos with MS. The primary outcomes include feasibility metrics (i.e., process, resources, management, and scientific), secondary outcomes include potential effects of the exercise training program on health-related outcomes (i.e., physical and cognitive function, MS symptoms, and quality of life), and tertiary outcomes include the potential association of SDOH on feasibility and intervention efficacy on health-related outcomes.

Discussion: The anticipated results of this study will provide evidence for the feasibility and initial efficacy of a remote exercise training intervention for Hispanics/Latinos with MS, a demographic often facing significant barriers to healthcare and rehabilitation. This research lays the groundwork for a fully powered RCT to support the efficacy of the approach and subsequent wider implementation. If successful, this project may significantly improve health and MS disease outcomes for Hispanics/Latinos with MS.

Protocol version: April 7, 2025, Version 2; World Health Organization Trial Registration Data Set (see Appendix 1); SPIRIT Checklist (see Appendix 2).

Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT05998616).

Keywords

Hispanic, Multiple sclerosis, Health disparities, Feasibility, Health-related outcomes, Minority healthcare

Comments

This article has been corrected. See Pilot Feasibility Stud. 2025 Jun 20;11:85.

Published Open-Access

yes

Download

Share

COinS
 
 

To view the content in your browser, please download Adobe Reader or, alternately,
you may Download the file to your hard drive.

NOTE: The latest versions of Adobe Reader do not support viewing PDF files within Firefox on Mac OS and if you are using a modern (Intel) Mac, there is no official plugin for viewing PDF files within the browser window.