Patients experiences with multiple sclerosis disease-modifying therapies in daily life - a qualitative interview study - BMC Health Services Research
Source : https://bmchealthservres.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12913-021-07012-z
Background Besides coping with a disease with many uncertainties, people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis face complex decisions concerning disease-modifying therapies (DMTs). In an interview study, we aimed to assess patients' experiences with DMTs. Methods Problem-centred interviews were conducted with 50 people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis in Germany using maximum variation sampling and covering all licensed DMTs.
Conclusions: The study provides a rich and nuanced amount of patients’ experiences with DMTs. The findings demonstrate the importance for practitioners to look at current life circumstances of patients with multiple sclerosis when recommending a DMT and to promote and enable patients to make informed decisions.
• Source: BMC Health Services Research
• Conclusion/Relevance: “The study provides a rich and nuanced amount of patients’ experiences with DMTs. The findings demonstrate the importance for practitioners to look at current life circumstances of patients with multiple sclerosis when recommending a DMT [disease-modifying therapies] and to promote and enable patients to make informed decisions.”
• German researchers conducted problem-centered interviews with 50 people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis in Germany via variation in sampling and spanning all licensed DMTs. Data were assessed thematically by means of deduction and induction
• The main themes included the following: (1) initiating a DMT, (2) switching to another DMT, (3) discontinuing a DMT, and (4) multiple sclerosis without initiating a DMT.
• Experiences with DMTs in daily life centered on administration, success, and failure of DMTs, as well as coping strategies and well-being without DMTs.
• Decisions as to whether to take DMTs is a complex, continually shifting process, influenced by different factors. Patient experiences with regard to DMT involved handling uncertainty and gaining control and adaptivity in daily life.
• “The findings demonstrate the importance for practitioners to look at current life circumstances of pwMS [people with MS] when recommending a DMT. Taking a DMT is a responsibility, not only for the patient, but also for the significant others. A possible approach is to give patients the opportunity to postpone the start of a DMT or to have a treatment break, if they are unsure and ambivalent until the point when they have reached more certainty,” wrote the authors.