Lifestyle factors, demographics and medications associated with depression risk in an international sample of people with multiple sclerosis

Keryn L Taylor,Naresh G Pereira,Tracey Weiland ,Claudia H Marck,Dania M van der Meer,Emily Hadgkiss ,George A Jelinek

doi:10.1186/preaccept-6871346891381394

Abstract

Lifestyle factors, demographics and medications associated with depression risk in an international sample of people with multiple sclerosis

Highlights

Depression is the most common co-morbidity for people with Multiple Sclerosis (MS); irrespective of disease severity, depression has the greatest impact on quality of life
A high percentage (90.1%) of our sample answered the Patient Health Questionnaire-2 (PHQ-2) screening questions for depression, Table 1 shows the demographics for the 2225 participants who completed the PHQ-2
In total approximately one fifth (19.3%, N = 429) of our sample screened positive for depression

Summary

Introduction

Depression is the most common co-morbidity for people with Multiple Sclerosis (MS); irrespective of disease severity, depression has the greatest impact on quality of life. There is significant potential to prevent and treat depression through modification of lifestyle risk factors for people with MS. This study sought to understand the association between lifestyle risk factors, medication and depression risk through the analysis of self-reported data from a large international sample of people with MS. For Depression is the most common psychiatric illness and co-morbidity for people with MS, who are at higher risk of suicide and self-harm than others in the population [2]. Severity of depression is a risk factor associated with suicide risk. The annual incidence is estimated to be 20% [4]

Methods

Results

Conclusion