Social consequences of multiple sclerosis. Part 2. Divorce and separation: a historical prospective cohort study.
BACKGROUND
There is a need for follow-up studies of the familial situation of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients.


OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the probability of MS patients to remain in marriage or relationship with the same partner after onset of MS in comparison with the population.


METHODS
All 2538 Danes with onset of MS 1980-1989, retrieved from the Danish MS-Registry, and 50,760 matched and randomly drawn control persons were included. Information on family status was retrieved from Statistics Denmark. Cox analyses were used with onset as starting point.


RESULTS
Five years after onset, the cumulative probability of remaining in the same relationship was 86% in patients vs. 89% in controls. The probabilities continued to deviate, and at 24 years, the probability was 33% in patients vs. 53% in the control persons (p < 0.001). Among patients with young onset (< 36 years of age), those with no children had a higher risk of divorce than those having children less than 7 years (Hazard Ratio 1.51; p < 0.0001), and men had a higher risk of divorce than women (Hazard Ratio 1.33; p < 0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
MS significantly affects the probability of remaining in the same relationship compared with the background population.
Pfleger
C C H
CC
Department of Neurology, Arhus University Hospital in Aalborg, Aalborg, Denmark. ccp@rn.dk
Flachs
E M
EM
Koch-Henriksen
Nils
N
D000328:Adult; D017668:Age of Onset; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D017281:Cost of Illness; D003718:Denmark / Q000453:epidemiology; D004243:Divorce / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005191:Family Characteristics; D005195:Family Relations; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012042:Registries; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D018454:Spouses / Q000523:psychology*; D013997:Time Factors