Factors associated with material deprivation in persons with multiple sclerosis in Switzerland: Cross-sectional data from the Swiss Multiple Sclerosis Registry

Lisa Sanak; Christian P Kamm; Andrew Chan; Mina Stanikić; Zina M Manjaly; Chiara Zecca; Pasquale Calabrese; Viktor von Wyl; Swiss Multiple Sclerosis Registry (SMSR)

doi:10.1016/j.msard.2022.104438

Factors associated with material deprivation in persons with multiple sclerosis in Switzerland: Cross-sectional data from the Swiss Multiple Sclerosis Registry

Mult Scler Relat Disord. 2023 Jan:69:104438. doi: 10.1016/j.msard.2022.104438. Epub 2022 Dec 5.

Authors

Lisa Sanak¹, Christian P Kamm², Andrew Chan³, Mina Stanikić⁴, Zina M Manjaly⁵, Chiara Zecca⁶, Pasquale Calabrese⁷, Viktor von Wyl⁴; Swiss Multiple Sclerosis Registry (SMSR)¹

Affiliations

¹ Neurocentre, Lucerne Cantonal Hospital, Lucerne, Switzerland.
² Neurocentre, Lucerne Cantonal Hospital, Lucerne, Switzerland; Department of Neurology, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Switzerland. Electronic address: christian.kamm@luks.ch.
³ Department of Neurology, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Switzerland.
⁴ Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Prevention Institute, University of Zurich (UZH), Zurich, Switzerland; Institute for Implementation Science in Health Care, University of Zurich (UZH), Zurich, Switzerland.
⁵ Department of Neurology, Schulthess Clinic Zurich, Switzerland; Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, Switzerland.
⁶ Multiple Sclerosis Center, Department of Neurology, Neurocenter of Southern Switzerland, Ospedale Civico, Via Tesserete 46, Lugano 6903, Switzerland; Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, Università della Svizzera Italiana, Via Buffi 13, Lugano 6900, Switzerland.
⁷ Division of Molecular and Cognitive Neuroscience, Neuropsychology and Behavioral Neurology Unit, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.

PMID: 36495844
DOI: 10.1016/j.msard.2022.104438

Abstract

Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS) impacts education, future career pathways and working capability and therefore may negatively impact the financial situation of persons with MS (pwMS) in Switzerland. We therefore investigated the financial situation and its influencing sociodemographic and disease-specific factors of pwMS compared to the general Swiss population with focus on material deprivation (MD).

Methods: Data on the financial situation of pwMS were collected via a specific questionnaire added to the regular, semi-annual follow-up assessments of the Swiss Multiple Sclerosis Registry. Questions were taken in an unmodified format from the standardized "Statistics on Income and Living Conditions" (SILC) questionnaire 2019 of the Federal Statistical Office of Switzerland which evaluates the financial situation of the general Swiss population, enabling a direct comparison of pwMS with the general Swiss population.

Results: PwMS were 1.5 times more frequently affected by MD than the general Swiss population (6.3% of pwMS versus 4.2% of the general Swiss population) which was confirmed in a multivariable logistic regression analysis of pooled SILC and Swiss Multiple Sclerosis Registry (SMSR) data. High symptom burden, having only mandatory schooling, well as having a pending disability insurance application (as opposed to no application or receiving benefits) were associated with a higher odds of MD whereas higher education, older age, having a Swiss citizenship, living with a spouse or a partner or being currently employed were independently associated with a lower odds of MD.

Conclusion: MS has a negative impact on the financial situation and is associated with MD. PwMS with a high symptom burden at the transition from work force to receiving disability benefits appeared to be vulnerable for MD. Higher education, older age, having a Swiss citizenship, living with a spouse or a partner or being currently employed were independently associated with a lower odds of MD.

Keywords: Cross-sectional analysis; Finances; Material deprivation; Registry; Relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis; Switzerland.

MeSH terms

Cross-Sectional Studies
Educational Status
Humans
Multiple Sclerosis* / complications
Registries
Switzerland / epidemiology