title: Activities of daily living and self-care agency in patients with multiple sclerosis for the first 10 years.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the study was to present the effects of the disease and analyze the relationship between activities of daily living (ADL) and self-care in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients who have had the disease for the first 10 years.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study was a descriptive cross-sectional study.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 67 patients who fit the inclusion criteria of the study and volunteered to participate were included in the sample. Data were collected using the Exercise of Self-Care Agency Scale and the Barthel Index.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean age was 38.43±9.92. There was a statistically significant correlation between participants'educational backgrounds and self-care scores and between disease duration and Barthel index score (p<.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The self-care levels of patients who have had MS for the first 10 years are medium, and they tend to be mildly dependent in performing their ADL. The duration of MS is positively correlated with level of ADL.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this study, it was shown that the duration of the disease in MS patients should be taken into account by rehabilitation nurses to implement effective nursing care.
authors.affiliation: Gulhane Military Medical Academy, School of Nursing, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Tulay
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Basak
authors.forename: Vesile
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Unver
authors.forename: Seref
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Demirkaya
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000451:nursing / Q000628:therapy*; D010044:Outpatient Clinics, Hospital; D019145:Rehabilitation Nursing; D012648:Self Care / Q000379:methods*
keywords: Activities of daily living; multiple sclerosis; self-care agency