Mittuniversitetet

Background: Little is known about the Quality of Life (QoL) and how QoL is related to the social and economic situation of people with mobility-related disabilities in Sweden. QoL and well-being do not only relate to the absence of impairments. The level of social inclusion and the economic situation may impact general health and well-being. The objective of this study was to explore if there were differences in QoL between a group with and without mobility-related disabilities in Sweden. Method: Cross-sectional data were collected through self-reported questionnaires. WHOQOL-BREF was used to assess QoL. Recruitment was conducted through social media platforms. Comparisons were made between and within groups using the Welch t-test. Generalized linear models were used to predict score change for the WHOQOL-BREF items and domains accounting for sex, age, education, social inclusion, economic situation, and presence of additional or other disability. Results: 381 participants were included, 143 with mobility-related disabilities and 238 without. Participants in the mobility-related disability group scored significantly lower than those without for General Health, General QoL, Health Satisfaction, and the WHOQOL-BREF domains. The group with mobility-related disabilities also reported a lower Social Inclusion Score (SIS) and a higher proportion of people without a cash margin. An increased SIS indicated higher QoL in the generalized linear model, whereas the absence of cash margin and mobility-related disability negatively influenced the QoL scores. Conclusion: This study indicated that a person with mobility-related disabilities has lower QoL than those without mobility-related disabilities. A lower QoL was also related to lack of cash margin, a lower social inclusion score, and if there were additional or other disabilities present.