Impact on interpersonal relationships among patients with multiple sclerosis and their partners

• Published in: Neurodegenerative disease management Vol. 9; no. 3; pp. 173 - 187
• Main Authors: Herbert, Leslie Beth, Zerkowski, Kristine, O'Brien, Sarah, Leonard, Kathryn Volpicelli, Bhowmick, Amrita
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Future Medicine Ltd 01.06.2019
• Subjects: autoimmune; chronic health; Coping; Couples; Data collection; disability; Families & family life; Fibromyalgia; Illnesses; Multiple sclerosis; Pain; pain severity; Patients; Peer tutoring; Personal relationships; quality of life; relationships; Studies; Walking; relationships; chronic health; autoimmune; fibromyalgia; disability; multiple sclerosis; quality of life; pain severity
• ISSN: 1758-2024; 1758-2032
• DOI: 10.2217/nmt-2018-0045

To determine how the diagnosis and symptoms of multiple sclerosis (MS) impact interpersonal relationships. Data were obtained from a convenience sample of 1010 individuals with MS responding to an online survey; responses were compared with results of a fibromyalgia survey. MS participants had few negative perceptions of relationships with romantic partners/children/close friends but described the impact of fatigue and limited mobility as feelings of being not well understood by others, burdensome and isolated. Despite increasing disability/pain severity, most patients with MS reported high satisfaction levels and few negative perceptions of relationships with romantic partners/children/close friends. Future research should focus on identifying effective coping strategies used by satisfied couples and improving access to high-quality relationship-enrichment programs.