This was a web-based study to look at the impact of neurological impairments from the perspectives of people with MS and their "care partners" ["I don't like this word"].
The study included 1011 people with MS and 317 care partners.
- Among MS'ers, 41% reported having difficulty walking, including 13% with inability to walk at least twice a week.
- Of those with difficulty walking, 70% said it was the most challenging aspect of having MS.
- Of those with inability to walk at least twice a week, 74% said it disrupted their daily lives.
- Only 34% of people with MS with difficulty walking were employed.
- Communication between people with MS and neurologists regarding difficulty walking was suboptimal; 39% of all people with MS said they never or rarely discussed it with their doctor.
- A significant percentages of all care partners experienced reduced quality of life and socioeconomic status in association with caring for a person with MS.
Conclusions: Difficulty walking is a common impairment in people with MS, with adverse effects on the quality of life of MS'ers and their care partners.
"This study was sponsored by Acorda Therapeutics, the company that markets Fampridine in the US."
"The study may be biased towards more disabled MS'ers."
"These figures are a startling reminder of how disabling MS is and how disconnected neurologists are from these problems."