Research Into Employment Issues for PwMS

The following article was commissioned by MS Limited and has previously been published in their eNewsletter, Intouch.  We are revisiting this topic following the large response to our Facebook poll last week, that suggested many people had found it difficult to complete their work or maintain employment since being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis.

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When discussing independence, employment is a common issue that gets raised. Indeed, many studies have shown that staying in meaningful employment can improve quality of life for people with multiple sclerosis, through factors such as maintaining a sense of identity and the valued social contact that it provides.As with most things, it can be more complex than this though. Different studies have also shown that the demands of work, combined with unpredictable disease, can have negative impacts on mental health. In this way, some research has found that people with multiple sclerosis who are employed can be at a higher risk of anxiety and depressive symptoms. For all these reasons, it is important that further research is conducted that helps us better understand the challenges that people with multiple sclerosis face in the workforce.

Excitingly, some fantastic work has been done in this area by researchers here in Australia. The Menzies Institute for Medical Research, based in Hobart, are responsible for leading the Australian MS Longitudinal Study (AMSLS, which many of you might have participated in). Using information generated from these surveys, they recently published a paper that looked at the main issues resulting in productivity loss at work for people with multiple sclerosis. Their findings suggested that symptom severity was the major problem.

Researchers from the Menzies Institute also published a second paper, using the same data, that assessed whether multiple sclerosis treatments had any impact on work outcomes. It found that people taking the higher efficacy or more ‘powerful’ treatments, particularly fingolimod (Gilenya) and natalizumab (Tysabri), reported higher work attendance and productivity compared to those taking the classic injectable therapies.

Another significant challenge that faces people with multiple sclerosis is if or when, to disclose their diagnosis to their employer. Many people choose not to do this due to concerns that it may lead to discrimination and a belief that they will be viewed as being less capable than before. Researchers from Monash University in Melbourne published a paper in 2013 that analysed what impact disclosure had on maintaining employment in people with multiple sclerosis. Their results suggested that people who revealed their diagnosis were more likely to be employed for longer periods of time. MS is again working with Monash University in the early phases of research, to determine the positive impact that the MS Employment Support Service has on people who access the service.

So, what does this all mean? Research has shown that staying employed can be a wonderful way for people with multiple sclerosis to maintain independence and can result in many beneficial outcomes that improve long-term happiness. However, work stress can often be compounded by the symptoms and unpredictable nature of multiple sclerosis and so strategies need to be put in place to handle these. In the end, the choice about continuing to work is a very personal one – so it is important to make a decision that works best for you.

Written by MStranslate co-founder, Brett Drummond.