title: Social characteristics and quality of life of portuguese multiple sclerosis patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Few studies have analyzed the importance of socio-demographic variables on the perception of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS).
  
  
  METHODS
  The sample was composed of 150 patients with MS. Statistical analysis was performed using Mann-Whitney U and Kruskal-Wallis H non-parametric tests comparing socio-demographic items with HRQoL.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found statistically significant differences between age, education levels, employment status, disability and all dimensions of HRQoL.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study contributes to a more systematic knowledge about the relationship between social characteristics and HRQoL, which is important to improve the planning of health care in MS patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We found that younger patients, those with higher education level, those who were employed, and with lower disease progression and lower disability, had better HRQoL.
authors.affiliation: MS Clinic, Department of Neurology, Centro Hospitalar de São João, Alameda Prof. Hernâni Monteiro, 4200-319 Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: David Castro
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.affiliation: Centro Hospitalar de São João, 4200-319 Porto, Portugal ; Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidade Fernando Pessoa, Rua Carlos da Maia, 4200-150 Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: Maria José
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Marques Sá
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidade da Beira Interior, Av. D. Afonso Henrique, 6200-506 Covilhã, Portugal.
authors.forename: José Manuel
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Calheiros
keywords: Multiple sclerosis; Neurology; Quality of life; Social characteristics