Date of Award

January 2024

Document Type

Open Access Thesis

Degree Name

Medical Doctor (MD)

Department

Medicine

First Advisor

Marc Potenza

Abstract

This study aimed to compare annual levels of vigorous activity and minutes per episode of vigorous activity among adults with non-substance use psychiatric disorders, especially those participating in treatment, those with no history of psychiatric disorders, prior-to-past-year histories only, or current disorders but no past-year treatment. We used data from the 2012-2013 National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions III (NESARC-III; n=36,309), a nationally representative survey of US adults. Adjusted means testing was used to evaluate differences between groups in annual frequency of vigorous physical activity and mean minutes per session of vigorous activity, with and without adjustment for sociodemographic, comorbid, and behavioral factors, with particular consideration given to the role of psychiatric multimorbidity.

In unadjusted pairwise comparisons, adults with participating in treatment for psychiatric disorders reported significantly less frequent vigorous activity than each other group, but not after adjustment for psychiatric multimorbidity. Adults with currently treated psychiatric disorders reported less time per episode of vigorous activity (mean ± standard deviation: 86.3 ± 107.8 minutes) than adults with current untreated psychiatric disorders (101.9 ± 123.0 minutes) and adults with no psychiatric history (96.3 ± 112.6 minutes), even after adjustment (p<0.001 all comparisons). Adults participating in treatment for current non-substance use psychiatric disorders reported lower frequency of vigorous activity than adults with no current psychiatric disorders or adults with untreated psychiatric disorders, a difference that may be attributable to psychiatric multimorbidity. Interventions to increase frequency of vigorous physical activity may be especially beneficial for adults already receiving psychiatric treatment.

Comments

This is an Open Access Thesis.

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