Article

Anxiety is common in people with multiple sclerosis (MS). Little is
known about the factors related to anxiety. The aim was to identify factors
associated with the presence of anxiety. METHODS:
This was a cohort study.
Participants were sent questionnaires to measure factors potentially related to
anxiety. The factors included disability, depression, self-efficacy, locus of
control, general stress, psychological distress and factors specific to MS.
Participants with significant levels of anxiety, as measured by the Hospital
Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), were compared to those who were not anxious.
RESULTS: Of the 157 participants who took part, 89 (57%) were clinically anxious.
Participants who were anxious had a lower level of self-efficacy (p < 0.001),
higher level of disability (p < 0.001), higher level of depression (p < 0.001)
and higher level of stress (p < 0.001). The regression analysis showed that
experiencing depression (chi(2) = 5.05, OR = 1.32, p < 0.05) was the only factor
that significantly predicted whether someone was anxious or not, accounting for
46% of the variance. CONCLUSION: There was a high prevalence of anxiety in people
with MS. Depression, low levels of self-efficacy, disability and stress increased
the likelihood of experiencing anxiety.

Langue : ANGLAIS