Australians with multiple sclerosis (MS) facing workplace barriers

New research finds that Australians are uninformed when it comes to workforce participation and the daily challenges facing people with multiple sclerosis

MS Research Australia released new market research showing 91 per cent of Australians believe that it would be difficult or impossible for someone with multiple sclerosis to hold down a regular job. ¹

Dr Elizabeth McDonald, Medical Director of MS Australia, explained that while multiple sclerosis is a serious illness, people are often diagnosed as young adults at a time when many are in the early stages of building a career and with support can continue in gainful employment.

'Multiple sclerosis is often detected when people are of prime working age and while the condition can present a number of challenges, many people can continue to work quite productively with the condition,' said Dr McDonald. 'It’s critical that employers and the community assist and support people with multiple sclerosis so they are able to remain in the workforce,' said Dr McDonald.

Too many people diagnosed with MS drop out of the workforce early², even though there is often no compelling reason why they cannot be productively employed for many years, particularly if they are supported with understanding during the difficult diagnosis period and during temporary exacerbations as they occur.

While the research indicated most Australians have heard of multiple sclerosis and 41 per cent of people know someone with multiple sclerosis, the results showed some confusion exists regarding the prevalence of multiple sclerosis and the daily challenges faced by people with the condition.

Significantly, Australian women are in the dark about how common multiple sclerosis is and more than 65 per cent of Australian women are unaware that multiple sclerosis is more common in women than men.¹ In fact, 74 per cent of people with multiple sclerosis are women, and 87 per cent are of working age.³

Misconceptions also exist about the availability of treatments for multiple sclerosis. While the majority of Australians [60 per cent] believe that tablets are the primary treatment for multiple sclerosis; oral treatments are only now being reviewed by the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee [PBAC] for reimbursement supply in Australia.⁴

'One of the unrecognised challenges faced by people with multiple sclerosis is the fact that regular needles or infusions are currently the most readily available form of treatment,' said Mr Jeremy Wright, Executive Director, MS Research Australia.

More than two thirds [69 per cent] of Australians agree that they would find it very difficult or impossible to inject themselves with a needle to receive medication. The inability to use a needle is higher among women with 73 per cent indicating that they would find it difficult to inject themselves with a syringe compared with 66 per cent of men.

According to the research more than half [54 per cent] of Australians incorrectly believe exercise is a treatment for multiple sclerosis. Furthermore, young adults aged 18 - 34 years wrongly believe that multiple sclerosis can be treated through diet.

'Currently there is no cure for multiple sclerosis; however it can be managed with treatment' said Dr McDonald. 'Expanding access to treatments, including oral delivery, is an important goal for improving outcomes for those with the condition.'

Multiple sclerosis is a debilitating chronic condition of the central nervous system and is the most common, non-traumatic, disabling neurological disease in young adults.⁵ Approximately 20,000 Australians have multiple sclerosis and it is most frequently diagnosed in people between the ages of 20 - 40 years.³

'Multiple sclerosis has an onset in early adulthood and a lifelong impact. I encourage all Australians, to support the employment prospects and access to services needed by people living with the condition to ensure they are able to lead the best possible life,' concluded Mr Wright.
 

References

1. Newspoll, Telephone Omnibus, Multiple Sclerosis, 12-13 February 2011
2. Simmons, RD, Tribe, KL; McDonald, EA: Living with multiple sclerosis: Longitudinal changes in employment and the importance of symptom management. Journal of Neurology (2010) vol 257 pp926-936
3. Access Economics. Acting positively: strategic implications of the economic costs of multiple sclerosis in Australia. Winter 2005. Available at:  http://www.accesseconomics.com.au/publicationsreports/getreport.php?report=7&id=7
4. Department of Health and Ageing, Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee Meeting Agenda – March 2011 PBAC Meeting [last accessed February 2011]. Available at: http://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/PBAC-Meeting-Agenda-mar-2011
5. Multiple Sclerosis Australia. About MS. Available at: http://www.msaustralia.org.au/aboutms.asp