학술논문
VHA Multiple Sclerosis Surveillance Registry and its similarities to other contemporary multiple sclerosis cohorts.
Document Type
Article
Author
Source
Subject
*ANTIRHEUMATIC agents
*AGE factors in disease
*COMPARATIVE studies
*FUNCTIONAL assessment
*REPORTING of diseases
*GAIT in humans
*HEALTH insurance
*INTERVIEWING
*LIFE skills
*VETERANS
*RESEARCH methodology
*MULTIPLE sclerosis
*PEOPLE with disabilities
*PUBLIC health surveillance
*QUALITY of life
*RESEARCH funding
*STATISTICAL sampling
*SELF-evaluation
*SURVEYS
*COMORBIDITY
*ACTIVITIES of daily living
*SOCIOECONOMIC factors
*PAIN measurement
*CROSS-sectional method
*SEVERITY of illness index
*DISEASE duration
*DESCRIPTIVE statistics
*SYMPTOMS
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Language
ISSN
0748-7711
Abstract
The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) has provided important contributions to our understanding of multiple sclerosis (MS); however, the characteristics of the modern VHA MS population have not been adequately characterized. Our objectives were to compare and contrast characteristics of the VHA MS population with other contemporary MS cohorts. A cross-sectional, mail-based survey of a stratified, random sample of 3,905 VHA users with MS was conducted. Detailed demographic and clinical data were collected as well as patient-reported outcomes assessing disability and quality of life. A total of 1,379 Veterans were enrolled into the MS Surveillance Registry (MSSR). Respondents did not differ from nonrespondents with regard to demographics or region. When compared to several other contemporary MS cohorts, some demographic differences were noted; however, the age of MS onset and diagnosis, subtype distribution, and most prevalent symptoms were very similar across MS cohorts. The MSSR appears to be representative of the general MS population. Combining the extensive VHA health services encounter data with the MSSR provides a rich and unique cohort for study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]