Grant: Emerging Team Grant: Co-morb of brain disorders & other health problems-full

This Team Grant in Comorbidity and Multiple Sclerosis (MS) represents a joint initiative of four academic centres in British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba and Nova Scotia and will create a multi-disciplinary team with complementary expertise. The research program has three objectives. First, we will develop methods for using health claims data to identify and monitor co-existing health conditions (comorbidities) among persons with MS and in the general population. Second, we will identify the type and frequency of comorbidities among persons with MS as compared to the general population, determining how this varies according to age, gender, region and socioeconomic status. Finally, we will assess the impact of comorbidity on MS in two ways. By focusing on health-related quality of life we will gain a broad perspective on how comorbidity influences health. By focusing on use of disease-specific treatments for MS we will gain an understanding of how comorbidity influences treatment decisions and access, as well as treatment tolerability and adherence. We will partner with decision makers and the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada to ensure that our findings are disseminated. Anticipated benefits from our population-based research program include individualized disease management, novel insights into the pathophysiology of MS, and ultimately improved health care in MS.