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. 2022 Jul;43(7):4387-4392.
doi: 10.1007/s10072-022-06029-4. Epub 2022 Mar 23.

Predictors of unemployment status in people with relapsing multiple sclerosis: a single center experience

Tommaso Guerra  1 , Antonella Pipoli  2 , Rosa Gemma Viterbo  1 , Nicola Manghisi  2 , Damiano Paolicelli  1 , Pietro Iaffaldano  3 , Luigi Di Lorenzo  2
Affiliations

Predictors of unemployment status in people with relapsing multiple sclerosis: a single center experience

Tommaso Guerra et al. Neurol Sci. 2022 Jul.

Abstract

Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is the most common cause of nontraumatic chronic neurological disability affecting young adults during their crucial employment years.

Objectives: To evaluate patients and disease related factors associated to unemployment in a cohort of relapsing-remitting (RR) MS patients.

Methods: We included RRMS patients with a follow-up of at least 1 year. We collected data about years of school education and employment status. Patients underwent a neuropsychological evaluation using the Brief International Cognitive Assessment for Multiple Sclerosis (BICAMS). Demographic and clinical predictors of unemployment were assessed through a multivariable stepwise logistic regression model.

Results: We evaluated 260 consecutive RRMS patients. Employed patients were less frequently female (68.4% vs 83.3%, p = 0.006), less disabled (median Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) score: 2.0 (0-7.0) vs 2.5 (0-7.5), p < 0.001), with more years of school education (mean ± standard deviation (SD), years: 13.74 ± 0.30 vs 10.86 ± 3.47, p < 0.001). Female sex and a higher EDSS score resulted associated with a greater risk of unemployment (OR 3.510, 95% CI 1.654-7.448, p = 0.001; OR 1.366, 95% CI 1.074-1.737, p = 0.011, respectively), whereas a greater number of years of schooling and current disease-modifying therapy exposure resulted protective factors (OR 0.788, 95% CI 0.723-0.858, p < 0,001; OR 0.414, 95% CI 0.217-0.790, p = 0.008, respectively).

Conclusions: Understanding work is pervasively influenced by consequences of MS, we confirmed the impact of demographic, physical, and cognitive factors on employment status in RRMS patients.

Keywords: Disabilty; Multiple sclerosis; Unemployment.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no competing interests.

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