title: Health status, stress and life satisfaction in a community population with MS.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Community-based studies can describe health status and related variables in people with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) while avoiding biases introduced by help-seeking in specific clinical settings.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To describe general health status, stress perceptions and life satisfaction in people with MS, in comparison to those with other types of disabilities.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Participation and Activity Limitation Survey (PALS) was a post-censual survey conducted by Statistics Canada in association with the 2006 Canadian Census. PALS collected data from a random sample of n = 22,513 respondents identified as having health-related impairments. Frequencies and quartiles as well as mean values, along with associated 95% confidence intervals, were calculated in the analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  PALS identified 245 individuals with MS. Health status, both perceived and when weighted for societal preference, was markedly lower than that of other disabled groups. No differences in self-perceived stress were seen. People with MS reported lower levels of satisfaction with their health but slightly higher levels of satisfaction with their family and friends.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  People with MS report lower levels of general health status and more impairment than those with other disabling conditions. Higher levels of satisfaction with friends and family may reflect psychological adaptation to the illness.
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Health Science, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
authors.forename: Scott B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Patten
authors.forename: Jeanne V A
authors.initials: JV
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: Dina H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Lavorato
authors.forename: Sandy
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Berzins
authors.forename: Luanne M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Metz
authors.forename: Andrew G M
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Bulloch
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002170:Canada; D006233:Persons with Disabilities / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000523:psychology*; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000523:psychology*