Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR, cilt.14, sa.E70091, ss.1-10, 2024 (SCI-Expanded)
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 severityon self-care in individuals with MS.Methods: The study was cross-sectional and was completed with 200 participants throughout Turkey. The data were collectedthrough random and snowball sampling using the MS-related symptom checklist (MS-RS), the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS), andthe Exercise of Self-Care Agency (ESCA) form. The data obtained were analyzed using the SPSS 21. Statistical significance wasevaluated 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 forFSS, 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 ESCAwas 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-RSnegatively 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-careagency. While being a female positively affected self-care agency, disease duration, and sensory symptoms negatively affectedfemales’ self-care agency.