Sample characteristics
|
Total sample n=150 |
Mild EDSS 0–4.5 n=48 |
Moderate EDSS 5.0–6.5 n=51 |
Severe EDSS 7.0–9.5 n=51 | |
| Women (%): | 68 | 60 | 67 | 76 |
| Age (y) (mean (SD) (range)) | 44.6 (10.8) (24–78) | 41.4 (10.2) (24–68) | 45.4 (10.7) (24–78) | 47.1 (10.6) (24–73) |
| Disease pattern (%): | ||||
| Secondary progressive | 50 | 2 | 71 | 76 |
| Primary progressive | 11 | 13 | 8 | 12 |
| Relapsing remitting | 33 | 66 | 21 | 12 |
| Benign | 6 | 19 | 0 | 0 |
| Years since first symptoms (mean (SD) (range)) | 14.6 (8.9) (0.6–43) | 12.3 (9.3) (2–41) | 15.7 (8.3) (0.6–40) | 16.0 (8.5) (1.4–43) |
| Years since diagnosis (mean (SD) (range)) | 10.2 (7.6) (0.1–38) | 7.5 (7.8) (0.1–30) | 10.8 (7.2) (0.2–38) | 12.1 (7.2) (1.2–33) |
| Marital status (%): | ||||
| Married/cohabiting | 70 | 83 | 63 | 67 |
| Separated/divorced | 11 | 4 | 12 | 17 |
| Widowed | 2 | 0 | 4 | 2 |
| Single, never married | 17 | 13 | 21 | 14 |
| Employment status (%): | ||||
| Employed | 33 | 60 | 25 | 15 |
| Student or homemaker | 14 | 15 | 12 | 16 |
| Retired, age | 3 | 4 | 4 | 2 |
| Retired, medical | 46 | 13 | 57 | 65 |
| Unemployed | 4 | 8 | 2 | 2 |
| Accommodation (%): | ||||
| Owner occupied | 75 | 77 | 78 | 70 |
| Rented (local authority) | 12 | 6 | 6 | 22 |
| Rented (privately) | 6 | 6 | 10 | 2 |
| Other (eg, residential unit) | 7 | 11 | 6 | 6 |
| Household: lives: | ||||
| Alone (%) | 17 | 8 | 23 | 18 |
| with spouse, family, or friend (%) | 79 | 88 | 73 | 80 |
| other (%) | 4 | 4 | 4 | 2 |