Depression, Disability, and Quality of Life in Patients With Multiple Sclerosis: A Cross‐Sectional Study From an Eastern Province in Turkey

Purpose: Patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) experience disabilities which significantly affect their quality of life (QOL). Anxiety, depressive, and disability symptoms are one of the most common psychiatric conditions in MS patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate the level of QOL in MS patients and to assess the impact of physical disability on QOL in an eastern province of Turkey. Methods: In this cross‐sectional study used a questionnaire designed by the authors, which contained questions about sociodemographic, as well as the following standardized questionnaires: Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and QOL scale (WHOQOL‐BREF) were used in 100 inpatients in the study. Results: The average age of the patients was 35.5 ± 8.6 years and 68 (68.0%) were women. The mean of EDSS scores was 2.05 ± 1.6 (min‐max: 0–6.5). 64% of the patients were married, 33% were university graduates, 43% were housewives, and 66% were middle‐income. Mean scores for HAD_D and all WHOQOL‐BREF domains decreased with income level, and there were significant differences between income groups ( p < 0.05). Conclusion: Examining the relationships between depression, disability and QOL in people with MS highlights the psychosocial challenges that these patients face in their daily lives. From a clinical practice perspective, these findings support health professionals in conducting more comprehensive assessments of depression and QOL in people with MS. Healthcare professionals can develop individualized treatment plans to improve patients’ QOL.