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NEW YORK, August 8, 2013—Multiple sclerosis (MS) patients rate their quality of life lowest with respect to their relationships with family and friends and activities of daily living, according to new research from Kantar Health, a leading global healthcare advisory firm.
MS patients’ overall quality of life is similar across all patient groups, with untreated patients having a higher quality-of-life score than their treated counterparts, especially those treated with non-disease-modifying drugs. While untreated patients have fewer issues with activities of daily living, they claim their health problems have affected their relationships with family and friends to a similar degree as treated patients. Apart from these categories, untreated patients score higher on other dimensions such as rejection, coping, symptoms and psychological well-being.
“MS is a chronic disease that progresses at different rates depending on the patient,” said Rose Lorenzo, director of research at Kantar Health. “While untreated patients have been diagnosed with their condition for an average of 20 years, slightly more than half assess their degree of disability as normal to mild. Therefore, they face fewer problems with rejection and in coping with their disease. However, the data suggest that current treatments for MS still are not meeting patients’ needs, and new treatments need to improve patients’ quality of life and overall outcomes.”
MS-related quality of life was assessed with the Multiple Sclerosis International QoL questionnaire. More than 950 MS patients answered questions in nine domains, and quality of life was measured on a 100-point scale based on responses to these questions.
About Kantar Health Syndicated Patient Studies
The study’s results were drawn from the Multiple Sclerosis Syndicated Patient Study, a nationally representative, self-administered survey. Topics covered include the health status, attitudes, behaviors and patient-reported outcomes among adults diagnosed with MS. Kantar Health conducts syndicated studies across several therapeutic areas in the U.S.
About Kantar Health
Kantar Health is a leading global healthcare advisory firm and trusted advisor to the world’s largest pharmaceutical, biotech, and medical device and diagnostic companies. It combines evidence-based research capabilities with deep scientific, therapeutic and clinical knowledge, commercial development know-how, and marketing expertise to help clients launch products and differentiate their brands in the marketplace.
Kantar Health deeply understands the influence of patients, payers and physicians, especially as they relate to the performance and payment of medicines and the delivery of healthcare services. Its 700+ healthcare industry specialists work across the product lifecycle, from preclinical development to launch, acting as catalysts to successful decision making in life sciences and helping clients prioritize their product development and portfolio activities, differentiate their brands and drive product success post-launch. For more information, please visit www.kantarhealth.com.
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