title: Quality of life and coping strategies in Lebanese Multiple Sclerosis patients: A pilot study.
abstract: Coping strategies used by Multiple Sclerosis patients play a key role in adjusting to the disease and affect their overall quality of life. This relationship has been investigated in developed countries, but none has been studied in developing ones such as Lebanon. Factors including barriers to health care delivery, economic pressure and political instability influence which coping strategies are used and often increases the use of negative coping mechanisms. The current pilot study explored the association between different coping strategies with quality of life and depression, anxiety, fatigue and social support in 34 Lebanese Multiple Sclerosis patients. Results indicated that Multiple Sclerosis patients using positive coping strategies had significantly higher scores of quality of life (U=46, p=.038) and social support (U=33.5, p=.011), and lower depression (U=44, p=.030) and anxiety levels (U=46.5, p=.038) as compared to those using negative coping strategies. Specifically, escape avoidance coping strategy was associated with poor quality of life scores (r=-.609, p<.0001) and high levels of depression (r=.534, p=.001), anxiety (r=.530, p=.001), and fatigue (r=.401, p=.019). Comprehensive assessment of Multiple Sclerosis taking into account coping strategies is needed to develop proper therapeutic interventions which increase quality of life. Future studies are required to confirm these results.
authors.affiliation: Lebanese American University, Department of Social Sciences, Beirut, Lebanon.
authors.forename: Natali
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Farran
authors.affiliation: Lebanese American University, Department of Social Sciences, Beirut, Lebanon. Electronic address: diala.ammar@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Diala
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ammar
authors.affiliation: American University of Beirut, Hariri School of Nursing, Beirut, Lebanon.
authors.forename: Hala
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Darwish
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000453:epidemiology; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology; D005221:Fatigue / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007861:Lebanon / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011788:Quality of Life; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012923:Social Class; D012944:Social Support
keywords: Coping strategies; Multiple Sclerosis; Quality of life; Social support