Quality of Life in Multiple Sclerosis Patients: Yemeni Patients' Experience Using (MSQOL-54) Questionnaire

Abstract

Background/Objective(s) Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a serious public health concern that affects millions of people worldwide, with the number varying substantially between regions and populations. Multiple sclerosis is considered one of the leading causes of disability, so assessing quality of life is critical for improving medical decisions, rehabilitation, and nursing. There has been increased interest in the quality of life linked with multiple sclerosis disease, however, most research so far has been conducted in developed countries. Therefore, the main objective of this study was to evaluate the quality of life and to determine the association between demographic variables and MSQOL-54 physical and Mental Health Composite scores of Yemeni patients with multiple sclerosis. Material(s) and Method(s) All patients registered with Yemeni Association for the Multiple sclerosis Patients Care (YAMSPC), and had confirmed diagnosis with multiple sclerosis by a neurologist were asked to participate in the study. After excluding patients under the age of 18 and those with any other chronic diseases (e.g. Diabetes, Hypertension, Depression, etc.), a total of 96 patients participated in the study with a response rate of 57%. The MSQOL-54 questionnaire was used to measure quality of life, and data were collected by interviewing each participant. Ethical approval was obtained from Sana'a University Faculty of Medicine & Health Science. Result(s) The 96 patients were mainly young (less than 40 years old), married, unemployed and 72% female. MSQOL-54 results showed that the quality of life overall median score was 36.9 (28.1-53.1), Physical Health Composite was 37.7 (27-52.8) and Mental Health Composite was 38.9 (25-55). We noticed that patients with limb weakness symptoms had lower scores in both physical and mental health domains of 30.2 and 29.6 respectively (p<0.001 and 0.007 respectively). In terms of living conditions, patients who live alone had a higher mental health composite score of 49.5 (p<0.025). In contrast, a low mental health score was linked to a low average family income of 25.9 (p<0.001). Finally, the Spearman correlation value for the patients' Mental Health Composite and Physical Health Composite was 0.79 (p<0.001). Conclusion(s) Yemeni patients with multiple sclerosis had poor overall quality of life. Weak average family income had an independent impairing impact on mental health composite score, while limb weakness was found to be associated with lower scores in both physical and mental health functions. Additionally, an unexpected finding was that patients who lived alone had a significantly higher mental health composite score than cohabiting patients. There was a strong positive correlation between Mental Health Composite and Physical Health Composite scores. To enhance the overall well-being, we must facilitate mental health services and care for patients with multiple sclerosis, improve their living circumstances, and encourage them to exercise and engage in physical activity regularly.