Dealing With MS

The institute is seeking National Health and Medical Research Council funding so it can give sufferers an accurate prognosis and tailor therapy to suit.

People diagnosed with MS face uncertainty, with many imagining the worst: Kate del la Motte says knowing how slowly the disease would progress, would have lightened the impact of her diagnosis.

"I think it would be a big difference, a huge difference in fact, because it's fear of the unknown," she said.

Menzies Research Institute scientists hope their research will be able to provide sufferers with an accurate prognosis, from the start.

Bruce Taylor says the project would draw on a national data base of sufferers, to determine what factors influence the disease's progression.

"If we can say who is more likely to develop MS and who's less likely, then we can stratify," he said.

"It's a very important question that needs to be answered."

Menzies needs $800,000 to fund the research.

Source: Yahoo 7 News © 2008 Yahoo!7 Pty Limited. (16/05/08)

The study will be composed of couples, consisting of at least one partner with MS. The purpose of the study is to discover how both the partner with MS and the partner without deal with the disease. In other words, it looks at how each perspective comes into play when it comes to dealing with the diagnosis of MS.

The study will consist of an hour-long interview where each individual agrees to discuss their experience with MS. The research process is still being tweaked.

"One of the goals for the project is to help us refine this interview to make sure we are asking the right questions and focusing on the key issues when it comes to understanding how couples cope with multiple sclerosis.

"Right now we are in the pilot phase-we are revising the interview to make sure it is where it needs to be before we start the next phase of the research," said Director Mark White, associate professor of medical family therapy and marriage and family therapy.

Requirements for the study are that couples must be in a committed relationship and that one member must have a specific diagnosis of MS. There is no age requirement, so anyone interested is encouraged to participate. Also, as an incentive, all participants will receive a $25 Target gift card.

Eastern North Carolina's contact with the National Multiple Sclerosis Society [NMSS] is commissioned through the Eastern North Carolina Chapter Office in Raleigh, NC.

The society doesn't keep individual statistics for each county as far as numbers of those living with MS, but they do keep data on those persons registered within the society.

These individuals have signed up for the society's mailing list or other circulated information.

According to an information specialist in the chapter, there are 3, 962 registered clients within the Eastern NC Chapter.

As far as national statistics, the NMSS Web site is extremely helpful to both those living with MS and those simply researching the disease.

The Web site includes accurate information on how MS is defined, who is more prone to acquiring the disease, symptoms, diagnosis, causes and a detailed history of MS's discovery and evolvement through time.

There is also a news reel, various event information, detailed accounts of treatment methods and accredited research practices.

Most people diagnosed with MS are between the ages of 20 and 50, according to the Web site.

Although there is no evidence that MS is inherited, some genetic factors may make certain individuals more susceptible to the disease. An estimated two to three times as many women than men have the disease.

According to the NMSS, "MS occurs more commonly among people with northern European ancestry, but people of African, Asian, and Hispanic backgrounds are not immune. Approximately 400,000 Americans acknowledge having MS and every week about 200 people are diagnosed. Worldwide, MS may affect 2.5 million individuals."

Source: The East Carolinian © 2007 East Carolinian (18/07/07)

© Multiple Sclerosis Resource Centre