Grant: Travel Awards - Institute Community Support

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a complex disease that is associated with a considerable impact on individuals' quality of life. This disease is diagnosed in young individuals and affects approximately 9000 individuals in the Republic of Ireland. In addition to the disease symptoms, due to the young age of onset, MS might significantly impact important aspects of a persons' life course, such as employment, eduction, family, etc. This study uses a nationally representative sample of individuals living with MS, recruited through The Multiple Sclerosis Society of Ireland to identify factors which might influence individuals' health-related quality of life. The results of our study indicated that an MS diagnosis is associated with a significant decrease in quality of life. Specifically, in addition to health-related quality of life being negatively affected by disease severity as expected, employment status and sex were significantly associated associated with health-related quality of life.