The Relationship Between Life Satisfaction and Spouse Support in Women with Multiple Sclerosis

Abstract

Objective:This research aims to define the correlation between life satisfaction and spouse support of women receiving multiple sclerosis (MS) treatment.Methods:The sample of the descriptive study consisted of 185 patients who applied to the neurology service and outpatient clinics of a university hospital between November 2018 and May 2019. Data was pooled with definitive data sheets for life satisfaction scale and spouse support scale. Correlation and regression analyses has been used for data analysis and percentile calculations.Results:Data show that 35.7% of the participants were diagnosed with MS for 1-5 years and 50.3% receive care support and 13.5% use ancillary device. Average life satisfaction scale score is found as 16.40±5.13 and spouse support scale score average as 66.37±15.10. There is high correlation in positive direction between average life satisfaction scale and spouse support scale scores (p<0.01).Conclusion:Women diagnosed with MS need huge support to fulfill their daily tasks. The physical and social support coming from their environment positively affects their treatment process. In this process, the importance of spousal support in coping with the disease should be explained to the spouses of the patients, and the life satisfaction of the patients should be tried to be increased with the trainings to be given.

Keywords

• multiple sclerosis
• life satisfaction
• spouse support