Abstract
BackgroundAnxiety, depression and functional impairments are commonly reported by persons with multiple sclerosis (PwMS) but no data, to our knowledge, has emerged from an Arab Islamic population. The study aims to investigate the prevalence of anxiety, depression and related disabilities among PwMS attending tertiary care in Sultan Qaboos University Hospital (SQUH), one of the urban hospitals in Oman.MethodsConsecutive and consenting PwMS (n = 57) and healthy subjects (n = 53) completed the following measures: Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) which was used to measure anxiety (cut-point >7) and depression (>7); and Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) to measure the level of disability (≥5). Characteristics such as socio-demographic and clinical variables were also explored.ResultsFifty seven subjects with multiple sclerosis (MS) met the inclusion criteria. The majority of them were females who were 40 years old or younger and the majority were employed and unmarried. Approximately 86 % of the participants were using beta interferon, 96 % scored ≥5 in EDSS. MS of the Relapsing-Remitting type constituted the majority of the cohort (94 %). Approximately 35 % and 51 % endorsed symptoms of anxiety and depression respectively. The MS group scored significantly higher than controls on HADS measurements of depression and anxiety.ConclusionDisability and symptoms of anxiety and depression are common among the PwMS attendees of tertiary care hospital in Oman. Such psychosocial variables have been largely unreported emerging from non-western populations. As these variables are strong indicators of the burden of MS, resolute effort is needed to address such psychosocial dysfunctions in the algorithms of care for PwMS in the Arab Islamic part of the world.
Highlights
Anxiety, depression and functional impairments are commonly reported by persons with multiple sclerosis (PwMS) but no data, to our knowledge, has emerged from an Arab Islamic population
The present study indicates that higher scores in indices of anxiety are more common among married females, in particular, amongst those who have achieved more than 12 years of education
Various correlates of anxiety and depressive symptoms observed in the present study appear to echo the international trend with slight variation due to socio-cultural factors
Summary
Depression and functional impairments are commonly reported by persons with multiple sclerosis (PwMS) but no data, to our knowledge, has emerged from an Arab Islamic population. According to the Atlas of MS compiled by the Multiple Sclerosis International Federation and the World Health Organization [5], the Arabian Gulf, which is geographically defined as part of the Western Asia region, is a low-risk zone for MS. This low-risk status remains despite the recent affluence and rising tide of ‘diseases of affluence’ [6] including MS [7,8,9] in the region. Benamer et al [10] have reviewed studies
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