Fatigue and health-related quality of life in multiple sclerosis

Al Gamal, Ekhlas; Yaseen Hyarat, Saba; Al Jaried, Latifa; Rama, Ellaine; Ahmad, Muayyad; Long, Tony

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Multiple sclerosis is a debilitating, chronic neurological disease with diverse symptoms. Fatigue is a major aspect of this, impacting negatively on physical functioning, productivity, general wellbeing and health-related quality of life.

AIM: To expose the relationship between fatigue and health-related quality of life in this clinical population in Saudi Arabia, supporting the development of comprehensive nursing management regimes.

METHODS: Patients were recruited from out-patient clinics in three Saudi Arabian cities (130 women, 71 men) for a correlational, cross-sectional study. SF-36 Health Survey and Fatigue Severity Scale were used, together with demographic variables. Descriptive analysis, correlation and t-test were applied within IBM Statistics v22.

RESULTS: Mean total Fatigue Severity Scale score was 5.59 (SD 1.18). Mean total Quality of Life score was 43.69 (SD 25.97). Fatigue was the major manifestation of the disease impacting negatively on patients’ quality of life.

CONCLUSION: The findings linked fatigue to lower quality of life, but also addressed the specific national demographic: an unusual pattern of significantly increasing prevalence, especially among females and young, well-educated populations. Screening this population routinely for fatigue is vital to optimize assessment, care, and review of the effectiveness of nursing interventions, ultimately promoting productivity, and enhancing health-related quality of life.

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Sep 16, 2024
• Deposit Date: Sep 16, 2024
• Publicly Available Date: Sep 23, 2024
• Print ISSN: 1744-9871
• Electronic ISSN: 1744-988X
• Publisher: SAGE Publications
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Keywords: Fatigue; Health-related quality of life; Multiple Sclerosis; Saudi Arabia