Objective: The objective of this study was to examine the association between baseline psychological distress, joint hypermobility, body mass index (BMI), and physical activity with Quality of Life (QoL) in adolescents with Idiopathic Scoliosis (AIS) 12 months on. Design: This is a prospective longitudinal study. Adolescents (10–18 years) with AIS were recruited. At baseline (n = 69), participants completed questionnaires covering demographics, psychological distress (Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale, DASS-21), physical activity (International Physical Activity Questionnaire, IPAQ), and QoL (SRS-22r). Clinical assessments included joint hypermobility and BMI measurement. After 12 months, participants (n = 49) completed the SRS-22r to re-evaluate QoL. Factors associated with QoL were explored using bivariate and multiple linear regression analyses. Results: Multiple linear regression models assessing factors associated with QoL 12 months after baseline measurements explained 53.3% of variance in SRS-22 scores (p < 0.001), with an adjusted R2 of 44.6%. Among baseline explanatory variables, thoracolumbar/lumbar Cobb angle contributed most significantly (β = 0.476, p < 0.05), followed by BMI (β = 0.342, p < 0.05) and DASS-Stress scores (β = −0.309, p < 0.05). Conclusions: Cobb angle, BMI, and stress emerged as important factors associated with QoL, highlighting the importance of addressing both clinical and psychosocial factors in AIS care.
Alimam et al. (Fri,) studied this question.