The Role of Sex and Other Personal Characteristics in the Effects of Symptoms Severity on Self-Care Agency in Individuals with Multiple Sclerosis
Brain and Behavior, cilt.14, sa.10, 2024 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)
- Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
- Cilt numarası: 14 Sayı: 10
- Basım Tarihi: 2024
- Doi Numarası: 10.1002/brb3.70091
- Dergi Adı: Brain and Behavior
- Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus
- Anahtar Kelimeler: fatigue, multiple sclerosis, self-care agency, sex, symptom severity
- Çukurova Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet
Özet
Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic, autoimmune disease that attacks the central nervous system. Aims: The study was conducted to determine the role of sex and other personal characteristics in the impact of symptom severity on self-care in individuals with MS. Methods: The study was cross-sectional and was completed with 200 participants throughout Turkey. The data were collected through random and snowball sampling using the MS-related symptom checklist (MS-RS), the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS), and the Exercise of Self-Care Agency (ESCA) form. The data obtained were analyzed using the SPSS 21. Statistical significance was evaluated at the level of p < 0.05. Results: The mean age of the participants was 37.97 ± 10.6 years. The mean scores were 47.4 ± 22.41 for MS-RS, 4.58 ± 2.2 for FSS, and 94.65 ± 24.76 for ESCA in females. The mean MS-RS score in males was 45 ± 25.89, FSS was 4.33 ± 2.5, and ESCA was 83.43 ± 23.95. There were no significant differences between the sexes except that the ESCA scores were higher in females (p < 0.05). According to a multiple linear regression analysis, the duration of diagnosis and sensory subdimension of MS-RS negatively affected the ESCA score in females, and this statistically significant model explained 22.6% of ESCA scores. Conclusion: The study found that both sexes had clinically significant fatigue, mildly severe symptoms, and moderate self-care agency. While being a female positively affected self-care agency, disease duration, and sensory symptoms negatively affected females’ self-care agency.