Advances in Nursing & Midwifery

Abstract

Abstract

Background and aim

Symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis (MS) are unpredictable; they vary from person to person, and from

time to time in the same individual

. Research conducted in Iran, didn't focus specifically on

the health status of MS. Therefore, we undertook this study on physical health status in MS patients

.

Materials and Methods

This is a descriptive cross-sectional study on 119 MS patients, recruited through convenience

sampling. Data were collected using the physical section of the "Multiple Sclerosis Quality of Life

Inventory (MSQLI)", with 78 items and 0.93 Cronbach's coefficient that translated to Persian and

adapted to Iranian culture by researchers.

Findings

The physical health status was moderate in 49.6%. The lowest mean score percent was for physical

component 41.06

(12.9) and the highest mean score percent was for Impact of visual impairment

87.05(16.1). Physical components indicated a significant positive correlation with fatigue impact,

pain effect and bladder control. We found a significant positive correlation between fatigue impact

with pain effects, sexual satisfaction, and bladder and bowel control. Moreover, significant positive

correlations were found between pain effects with sexual satisfaction and bowel control; sexual

satisfaction and bladder and bowel control; bladder control and bowel control.

Conclusion

These findings may assist health care providers to identify patients at risk of aggravating physical

health status; thus allowing appropriate and timely interventions to be conducted.

Keywords

: Multiple sclerosis, Physical health, Fatigue, Pain, Bladder Control, Bowel Control,

Sexual Dysfunction, Visual Dysfunction.

*

Corresponding author: Tahereh Ashktorab, Assistant Professor, School of Nursing & Midwifery,

Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences

E-mail:

 

tashktorab@yahoo.com

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