Quality of life of multiple sclerosis patients receiving medical care at the Palestinian ministry of health’s directorates in the west bank, occupied Palestinian territory (oPt) and associated factors

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a neurological disease where the immune system attacks the myelin sheath of neuron axons leading to considerable symptoms. The disease has detrimental effects on patients’ health-related quality of life (HRQoL). This study assesses the quality of life (QoL) of MS patients receiving medical care at Palestinian Ministry of Health’s (PMoH) directorate in the West Bank. 150 patients were included, with ages between 20 and 65 years. A standardized questionnaire was used, it is divided into 2 sections: the first section with questions on basic demographic and socio-economic characteristics; the second focuses on the patient’s QoL by assessing physical, mental and emotional health’s factors. The MSQoL-54 scale scores were created using the Likert method by averaging items within the scales. Then the row scores were linearly transformed into 0–100 scales. Calculation of the score of physical health composite and the mental health composite, and multiplying these constructed variables by the weight given to each variable and finding subtotals for each composite. Patients had a mean age of 35 years. 68.7% were females. 99.3 % were diagnosed as with Relapsing Remitting Multiple Scleroses (RRMS). Overall quality of life mean was 58.71(standard deviation (SD): 22.06), role limitations due to physical and emotional problems means: 32(SD: 39.51) and 32(SD: 40.11) respectively, and health distress mean: 3.19 (SD: 1.38). Both physical and mental health composite mean were: 40.94(SD: 38.97) and 39.91(SD: 36.67) respectively. All patients had low physical and mental HRQoL scores. The most affected parts of QoL in the sample were those related to role limitations due to physical and emotional problems, physical function, emotional well-being, fatigue, and health perception. Health distress was found to be the most powerful predictor of QoL of MS patients. The results are beneficial to the PMoH in developing plans to improve the quality of life of MS patients.