A Systematic Review of Anxiety Amongst People with Multiple Sclerosis

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Abstract

Background

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a chronic neurological disease, which poses significant psychological challenges. The purpose of this systematic review was to identify factors that are associated with anxiety in people with MS (PwMS). It aimed to examine the strength of evidence for factors associated with anxiety symptoms and identify limitations of existing studies.
Method and Results

One hundred and thirty one studies met inclusion criteria and were included in the review. A narrative synthesis was then conducted. Anxiety was found to be associated with a variety of demographic, physical, psychological, cognitive and social factors. A consistent finding was that anxiety was strongly associated with both high level of disability and low quality of life. A strong association between anxiety and depression was also found.
Conclusion

Implications for these results are discussed and a preliminary model of understanding anxiety in the context of MS is outlined. Given the overlap between anxiety and depression a transdiagnostic treatment approach is suggested. In light of the shortcomings of extant studies, suggestions for future research are offered.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)145–168
JournalMultiple Sclerosis and Related Disorders
Volume10
Early online date11 Oct 2016
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Nov 2016

Keywords

  • Anxiety
  • Multiple Sclerosis
  • Systematic review

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