Article

This study was designed to examine the relationship between age and
quality of life in middle aged and older adults with MS.
METHOD: Individuals with
MS, recruited through a Comprehensive Care Centre and local registries of the
National Multiple Sclerosis Society, completed a telephone interview which
incorporated several scales of the MS Quality of Life Inventory. Participants
were divided into three age groups reflective of developmental transitions in
adulthood, from midlife transition to late adulthood.
RESULTS: Between group
comparisons controlling for physical functioning and duration of MS revealed that
the oldest age group (age 65 and above) reported significantly better mental
health than the middle age group (age 50-64), but not the youngest age group (age
35-49). Differences between the middle and youngest age group were not
significant. CONCLUSIONS: Results suggest that perhaps the process of getting
older, or factors related to being older, enhance perceptions of mental health in
individuals with MS. Results are discussed within the context of social
comparison theory, which might be an adaptive strategy that could underlie
response shift in older individuals with MS.

Langue : ANGLAIS