Socioeconomic status and access to multiple sclerosis treatment in Mexico

Socioeconomic status and quality of multiple sclerosis care in Sweden

In Sweden's universal healthcare system, it is unknown whether people of higher socioeconomic status receive higher quality multiple sclerosis (MS) care. Using linked clinical and administrative data, we investigated the quality of care received by 4426 adults aged 23-60 with relapsing-remitting MS. In adjusted analyses, we demonstrated that higher premorbid educational attainment is associated with 4-12 % more frequent neurologist visits and MRI scans in the first four years post diagnosis, while higher premorbid income was associated with faster diagnosis-to-treatment times by 34-64 days. Neither education nor income were associated with time to diagnosis. This suggests that the more favourable MS outcomes observed for people of higher socioeconomic status may in part be related to higher quality care.

Socioeconomic, health-care access and clinical determinants of disease severity in Multiple Sclerosis in Chile

BACKGROUND

MS severity may be affected by genetic, patient-related, disease-related and environmental factors. Socioeconomic status, including income and healthcare access, amongst others, may also have a role in affecting diagnostic delay or therapy prescription. In Chile, two main healthcare systems exist, public-healthcare and private-healthcare, nonetheless universal care laws (e.g., access to High Efficacy Therapy-HET), including both systems, have been recently enacted for people with MS.

OBJECTIVE

To assess the role of Socioeconomic Conditions (SEC), clinical variables and public health policies on the impact of disease severity of MS patients in Chile.

METHODS

Multicentric, observational, cross-sectional study including patients from two reference centres (1 national reference centre from the private-health system and 1 regional reference centre from the public-health system). SEC and clinical variables included healthcare insurance (private or public), subclassification of health insurance according to monthly income, sex, age at onset, diagnostic delay, disease duration, diagnosis before HET law (as a proxy of HET delay), and current HET treatment. Progression Index (PI), EDSS ≥6.0 and Progressive MS diagnosis were used as outcome measures. Multivariable binary logistic regression was performed.

RESULTS

We included 604 patients (460 private-health, 144 public-health), 67% women, 100% white/mestizo, 88% RRMS, mean age 42±12 years, mean age at onset 32±11 years, mean disease duration 10±6 years, median diagnostic delay 0 (0-34) years, 86% currently receiving any DMT, 55% currently receiving HET, median EDSS at last visit of 2.0 (0-10), and median PI 0.17 (0-4.5). Lower monthly income was associated with higher EDSS and higher PI. In the multivariable analysis, public-healthcare (OR 10.2), being diagnosed before HET-law (OR 4.89), longer diagnostic delay (OR 1.26), and older age at onset (OR 1.05) were associated with a higher risk of PI>0.2, while current HET (OR 0.39) was a protective factor. Diagnosis before HET-law (OR 7.59), public-healthcare (OR 6.49), male sex (OR 2.56), longer disease duration (OR 1.2) and older age at onset (OR 1.1) were associated with a higher risk of Progressive MS. Public-healthcare (OR 5.54), longer disease duration (OR 1.14) and older age at onset (OR 1.08) were associated with a higher risk of EDSS ≥6.0 while current treatment with HET had a trend as being a protective factor (OR 0.44, p = 0.05).

CONCLUSION

MS severity is impacted by non-modifiable factors such as sex and age at onset. Interventions focused on shortening diagnostic delay and encouraging early access to high-efficacy therapies, as well as initiatives that may reduce the disparities inherent to lower socioeconomic status, may improve outcomes in people with MS.

Economic and Social Standing of Individuals in Iran Diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis

BACKGROUND

Multiple sclerosis (MS) may be affected by socioeconomic status (SES). This study aims to explore the determinants of SES among Iranian patients with MS and examine how these factors relate to disability and disease progression.

METHODS

All patients with MS listed in the nationwide MS registry of Iran (NMSRI) until January 8, 2022, were included in this population-based study.

RESULTS

Among the 5153 patients, most were female (74.5%), married (70.8%), and did not hold an academic degree (53.8%). Unemployment (OR: 3.75) and being unmarried (OR: 2.60) were significantly associated with Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS)≥6, and the time to progression was shorter in the unemployed group (P value: 0.03). There was also a significant negative correlation between the time to progression and the age at disease onset.

CONCLUSION

The study suggests that providing financial and social support to MS patients and their families through investment could reduce both individual and societal burdens.

Barriers to access and unmet needs to neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders care in an Argentinean cohort

INTRODUCTION

Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) is a rare but severe neuroimmunological condition associated with a significant financial burden. NMOSD is also associated with increased health care utilization, including neurology outpatient visits, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) use, long-term medication, among others. We aimed to evaluate real-world patient experiences in access to care and NMOSD burden in an Argentinean cohort.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study used a self-administered survey and was conducted in Argentina (2022). Patients with NMOSD were divided into three groups: private health insurance (PHI), social health insurance (SHI), and public health insurance (PHI, Ministry of Public Health). Differences in access and health care barriers were assessed.

RESULTS

One hundred patients with NMOSD (74 women) with a mean age at diagnosis of 38.7 years were included. Their EDSS was 2.8 and they were followed for 5.2 years. Of them, 51%, 11%, and 13% were employed (full-time: 57.5%), currently unemployed and retired by NMOSD, respectively. 55% of them visited between 2-3 specialists before NMOSD diagnosis. Aquaporin-4-antibody and/or myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein-antibody testing was requested in 91% (health insurance covered this partially in 15.3% and 32.9% of the time the test was entirely paid by patient/family). Patients with NMOSD receiving private medical care reported greater access to MRI, outpatient visits, and fewer issues to obtain NMOSD medications compared to those treated at public institutions. A longer mean time to MRI and neurology visit was found in the PHI group when compared with the other two subgroups. Regression analysis showed that private insurance (OR=3.84, p=0.01) was the only independent factor associated with appropriate access to NMOSD medications in Argentina.

CONCLUSION

These findings suggest that barriers to access and utilization of NMOSD care services in Argentina are common. NMOSD patients experienced problems to receive NMOSD medication properly, especially those from the public sector.

social determinants of health in multiple sclerosis

Social determinants of health are the conditions in which people are born, grow, live, work and age. These circumstances are the non-medical factors that influence health outcomes. Evidence indicates that health behaviours, comorbidities and disease-modifying therapies all contribute to multiple sclerosis (MS) outcomes; however, our knowledge of the effects of social determinants — that is, the ‘risks of risks’ — on health has not yet changed our approach to MS. Assessing and addressing social determinants of health could fundamentally improve health and health care in MS; this approach has already been successful in improving outcomes in other chronic diseases. In this narrative Review, we identify and discuss the body of evidence supporting an effect of many social determinants of health, including racial background, employment and social support, on MS outcomes. It must be noted that many of the published studies were subject to bias, and screening tools and/or practical interventions that address these social determinants are, for the most part, lacking. The existing work does not fully explore the potential bidirectional and complex relationships between social determinants of health and MS, and the interpretation of findings is complicated by the interactions and intersections among many of the identified determinants. On the basis of the reviewed literature, we consider that, if effective interventions targeting social determinants of health were available, they could have substantial effects on MS outcomes. Therefore, funding for and focused design of studies to evaluate and address social determinants of health are urgently needed.

Here, the authors discuss the potential effects of social determinants of health on multiple sclerosis risk and outcomes. They suggest that addressing these determinants of health could substantially improve the lives of individuals with multiple sclerosis and call for more research.

Addressing an individual’s social determinants of health — that is, the conditions under which they are born, grow, live, work and age — could provide opportunities to reduce the burden of living with multiple sclerosis (MS).

Individual factors that may influence MS-related outcomes include sex, gender and sexuality, race and ethnicity, education and employment, socioeconomic status, and domestic abuse.

Societal infrastructures, including access to food, health care and social support, can also affect MS-related outcomes.

Awareness of the specific circumstances of a patient with MS might help neurologists deliver better care.

Social determinants of health are not static and can change according to wider sociopolitical contexts, as highlighted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Rigorous studies of interventions to ameliorate the effects of poor social determinants on people with MS are urgently needed.

Effect of Rituximab Compared with Natalizumab and Fingolimod in Patients with Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis: A Cohort Study

The objective of this study was to evaluate the clinical files of patients with RRMS who started rituximab (RTX) compared with a second-line treatment (natalizumab (NTZ) or fingolimod (FTY)). This was a historical cohort study. We compared the effect according to the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) and the number of relapses in RRMS patients receiving these treatments after a mean period of 12 months. We found a statistically significant difference (p < 0.001) when comparing the EDSS scores and the annual relapse rates of patients receiving RTX with those receiving NTZ or FTY. This study is essential for our clinical practice, since patients with limited treatment options represent a challenge with regard to the management of their medical care. However, clinical trials and prospective studies with long follow-up periods are necessary to provide sufficient evidence on the efficacy of RTX and thus include this treatment in the therapeutic profile of patients with MS.