DISABILITY FACTORS IN MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS PATIENTS

This study is devoted to the study of the level of disability and factors influencing the disability of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). The dependence of the incidence of disability in MS patients on various socio-hygienic and biological factors was assessed. The results of a retrospective study of 2,893 patients with multiple sclerosis showed that there were 749 people with disabilities, their share in the overall sample was 28.0%. In the structure of patients with MS with permanent disability, the largest proportion were disabled people of group III (39.9%, in the total structure of MS patients – 11.2%), the proportion of disabled people of group II was 35.6% (in the total structure of MS patients – 10.0%), group I – 24.4% (in the total structure of MS patients – 6.8%). Men differed from women in a higher proportion of disabled people in groups I-II, the figures were 19.7% and 15.5%, respectively. The disabled differed significantly later in age at the time of inclusion in the register, the median was 39 years. The age at the time of inclusion in the register among non-invalids was 7 years earlier – the median was 32 years. The rate of disability among MS patients was significantly higher among the rural population (35.2%), while among the urban population the proportion of disabled people was only 22.4% (p<0.001). The analysis revealed statistically significant differences in the distribution of the studied disability groups depending on education (p<0.001). The proportion of patients with disability groups I-II prevailed in secondary education (57.5%), and the proportion of patients without disabilities was higher in secondary specialized or higher education (51.8 and 36.0%). It is concluded that the disability of patients depends on various socio-hygienic and biological factors. The disabling nature of the disease indicates the need for further study of the factors influencing disability and the need to improve the system of medical care for patients with multiple sclerosis.