Social and professional consequences of COVID-19 lockdown in patients with multiple sclerosis from two very different populations

Abstract

The global lockdown measures implemented due to the COVID-19 pandemic have nearly always had negative consequences for patients with multiple sclerosis (MS).

Objective: We compared the social and professional effects of confinement on patients with MS in 2 very different populations, from Spain and China.

Methods: Questionnaires were administered to a group of patients with MS who consulted at the MS unit of Vithas hospital (DINAC Foundation) in Seville, and patients with MS attended in several provinces of China in April 2020, with the aim of analysing the differences and similarities between populations in the social and professional effects of confinement. To this end, a database was created and subsequently analysed.

Results: The Chinese population includes a higher proportion of younger patients and no differences were identified regarding sex. Most of the variables studied behaved in the same way in both patient populations. Spanish patients presented a lesser impact (30.7%) on their socio-economic situation than Chinese patients (44%) (P < .05). There were no significant differences between populations in the remaining variables. Social networks were widely used in the majority of patients from both populations.

Conclusions: The social and professional consequences of the pandemic were very similar in both groups; the use of social networks and family support was also similar. Spanish patients seem to present greater economic stability, perhaps due to the social support they receive.

Keywords: COVID-19; Confinamiento; Esclerosis múltiple; Lockdown; Multiple Sclerosis.