Background

Little research has studied the relationship between self-concept and depressive and anxiety symptoms and quality of life (QoL) on Multiple Sclerosis (MS). Previous studies suggested that perceived health status and self-perception seems to be affected by disease duration.

Objectives

In this study, we evaluate the impact of receiving a MS diagnosis on disease perception (expectation and knowledge), depression, anxiety, fatigue, and QoL; and how these measures interact.

Methods

Observational, cross-sectional, multicentre study, with two matched groups.

Patients up to 3 months from diagnosis date were included in Group 1 and patients with diagnosis established for 12 to 36 months were included in Group 2. A 19-item true/false questionnaire developed by the investigators was used to assess disease knowledge and expectations. The remaining outcomes were assessed though: Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS); Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS); and EuroQoL five-dimensional instrument (EQ-5D), 3-level version.

Results

We included 90 patients from six centres (38 in the Group 1), of which 80% had a good disease knowledge whereas only 48% reported positive expectations. No differences were found between groups in demographic and clinical data. There were also no differences in disease knowledge, disease expectations, HADS, FSS, and EQ-5D. We found an inverse correlation between disease knowledge and problems in self-care (p=0.018) and fatigue (p=0.032). Patients with worse expectations about the disease were more anxious (p=0.012 on HADS and p<0.001 on EQ-5D). They also reported more problems in mobility (p=0.002), self-care (p=0.005), usual activities (p=0.009), and pain (p=0.001), having a worse health status comparing the last 12 months to the best imaginable status (p<0.001).

Conclusions

Our study showed no association between disease duration and disease knowledge, disease expectations, depression levels, anxiety, fatigue, and perceived QoL. Patients with less disease knowledge reported more problems in self-care and higher fatigue scores. Patients with worse disease expectations were more anxious and reported a worse health status. Our findings suggest that more attention should be driven to perceived health status and to depressive and anxious symptoms in MS patients.

Background

Little research has studied the relationship between self-concept and depressive and anxiety symptoms and quality of life (QoL) on Multiple Sclerosis (MS). Previous studies suggested that perceived health status and self-perception seems to be affected by disease duration.

Objectives

In this study, we evaluate the impact of receiving a MS diagnosis on disease perception (expectation and knowledge), depression, anxiety, fatigue, and QoL; and how these measures interact.

Methods

Observational, cross-sectional, multicentre study, with two matched groups.

Patients up to 3 months from diagnosis date were included in Group 1 and patients with diagnosis established for 12 to 36 months were included in Group 2. A 19-item true/false questionnaire developed by the investigators was used to assess disease knowledge and expectations. The remaining outcomes were assessed though: Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS); Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS); and EuroQoL five-dimensional instrument (EQ-5D), 3-level version.

Results

We included 90 patients from six centres (38 in the Group 1), of which 80% had a good disease knowledge whereas only 48% reported positive expectations. No differences were found between groups in demographic and clinical data. There were also no differences in disease knowledge, disease expectations, HADS, FSS, and EQ-5D. We found an inverse correlation between disease knowledge and problems in self-care (p=0.018) and fatigue (p=0.032). Patients with worse expectations about the disease were more anxious (p=0.012 on HADS and p<0.001 on EQ-5D). They also reported more problems in mobility (p=0.002), self-care (p=0.005), usual activities (p=0.009), and pain (p=0.001), having a worse health status comparing the last 12 months to the best imaginable status (p<0.001).

Conclusions

Our study showed no association between disease duration and disease knowledge, disease expectations, depression levels, anxiety, fatigue, and perceived QoL. Patients with less disease knowledge reported more problems in self-care and higher fatigue scores. Patients with worse disease expectations were more anxious and reported a worse health status. Our findings suggest that more attention should be driven to perceived health status and to depressive and anxious symptoms in MS patients.