The effect of psychological gender on adherence to immunomodulatory therapy in patients with multiple sclerosis

Abstract

To study the association between psychological gender and adherence to immunomodulatory therapy in patients with multiple sclerosis. Thirty-four patients (25 women and 9 men) with the diagnosis of multiple sclerosis were examined. The following methods were used: MMSE, The Bem Sex Role Inventory adapted in Russia, Beck Depression Inventory, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. During three months patients reported the first and the last immunomodulator injections dates from every new pack. Then the patients' self-reports systematization and analysis were performed, drug-taking compliance and timing compliance were calculated. Twenty-eight patients had an androgynous type of psychological gender and six persons were feminine. The association was determined between high compliance and such psychological gender peculiarities as a significantly large number of feminine traits than masculine ones and the low number of masculine characteristics in men.