FEELING OF HAPPINESS IN PATIENTS WITH MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS AND COMORBIDITY

Abstract

Purpose: As the feeling of happiness in multiple sclerosis (MS) is not investigated in Bulgaria yet, we decided to reveal some essential features of this non-motor symptom in multiple sclerosis patients with and without comorbidity. Material/Methods: We examined 80 MS patients, 56 females and 24 males, at a mean age of 49 years. Forty of them presented with multiple sclerosis alone, and 40 did with multiple sclerosis and accompanying diseases. Health-related quality of life was assessed by means of Short Form-36 questionnaire and Multiple Sclerosis Quality of Life Questionnaire with 54 items. Results: We established a lower frequency of feeling of happiness reported in MS patients with comorbidity. There were statistically significant positive correlations between the health status self-assessment and MS influence upon the feeling of happiness (R=0.428; p<0.01) as well as between MS influence upon social activities and the feeling of happiness (R=0.539; p<0.01). There were statistically reliable negative correlations between depression and feeling of happiness (R=-0.591; p<0.01) as well as between health-related quality of life scores and feeling of happiness in MS patients (R=-0,565; p<0,01). There was a statistically significant difference concerning the feeling of happiness (p<0.001) between the patients with MS only and those with MS and comorbidity. Conclusion: Multiple sclerosis alone and with comorbidity exerts an unfavourable influence on individual patient’s feeling of happiness. The presence of this common non-motor symptom in MS patients needs more comprehensive research.

Keywords

• multiple sclerosis
• happiness
• comorbidity