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. 2015 Dec 22;10(12):e0145435.
doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0145435. eCollection 2015.

Earnings and Financial Compensation from Social Security Systems Correlate Strongly with Disability for Multiple Sclerosis Patients

Andrius Kavaliunas  1 , Michael Wiberg  1   2 , Petter Tinghög  1   3 , Anna Glaser  1 , Hanna Gyllensten  1 , Kristina Alexanderson  1 , Jan Hillert  1
Affiliations

Earnings and Financial Compensation from Social Security Systems Correlate Strongly with Disability for Multiple Sclerosis Patients

Andrius Kavaliunas et al. PLoS One. .

Abstract

Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS) patients earn lower incomes and receive higher benefits. However, there is limited knowledge of how this is correlated with their disability.

Objective: To elucidate sources and levels of income among MS patients with different disability, assessed with the Expanded Disability Status Scale.

Methods: A total of 7929 MS patients aged 21-64 years and living in Sweden in 2010 were identified for this cross-sectional study. Descriptive statistics, logistic and truncated linear regression models were used to estimate differences between MS patients regarding earnings, disability pension, sickness absence, disability allowance, unemployment compensation, and social assistance.

Results: The average level of earnings was ten times lower and the average level of health- related benefits was four times higher when comparing MS patients with severe and mild disability. MS patients with severe disability had on average SEK 166,931 less annual income from earnings and SEK 54,534 more income from benefits compared to those with mild disability. The combined average income for MS patients was 35% lower when comparing patients in the same groups. The adjusted risk ratio for having earnings among MS patients with severe disability compared to the patients with mild disability was 0.33 (95% CI 0.29-0.39), while the risk ratio for having benefits was 1.93 (95% CI 1.90-1.94).

Conclusions: Disease progression affects the financial situation of MS patients considerably. Correlations between higher disability and patient income were observed, suggesting that earnings and benefits could be used as measures of MS progression and proxies of disability.

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Conflict of interest statement

Competing Interests: Andrius Kavaliunas has declared that no competing interests exist. Michael Wiberg was funded by an unrestricted research grant from Biogen. Petter Tinghög was funded by an unrestricted research grant from Biogen. Anna Glaser has received unrestricted research support from Biogen. Hanna Gyllensten was funded by an unrestricted research grant from Biogen. Kristina Alexanderson has received unrestricted research grants from Biogen and from the Swedish Research Council for Working Life, Health and Welfare. Jan Hillert received honoraria for serving on advisory boards for Biogen and Novartis and speaker's fees from Biogen, MerckSerono, BayerSchering, Teva and SanofiGenzyme. He has served as P.I. for projects sponsored by, or received unrestricted research support from Biogen, SanofiGenzyme, MerckSerono, TEVA, Novartis, and BayerSchering. His MS research is funded by the Swedish Research Council and the Swedish Brain Foundation. This does not alter the authors' adherence to PLOS ONE policies on sharing data and materials.

Figures

Fig 1
Fig 1. Percentages of MS patients who had earnings and got benefits, by different disability levels.
Fig 2
Fig 2. Average annual income by their different types for MS patients with different disability in 2010.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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