Multiple sclerosis (MS) can have a substantial impact on many aspects of life beyond physical health, with 51% of people reporting that the disease affects their social life and 48% reporting that it affects their work, according to new research presented at the European Academy of Neurology (EAN) Congress 2026.
Although the physical effects of MS are well recognized, less is known about how the disease affects broader social determinants of health. Previous studies have often focused on individual areas, such as employment or financial well-being, in isolation. However, little research has explored how multiple social determinants are affected simultaneously and how they interact.
To explore these wider impacts, researchers from Italy conducted the SocialMS study, a nationwide questionnaire-based study involving 1,039 adults with MS receiving care at 68 MS centers across the country. Participants were asked about the impact of MS on four key social determinants of health: education, work, financial resources and social life.
Social life emerged as the most commonly affected domain, with 51% of participants reporting an impact, followed by work (48%), financial resources (34%) and education (19%).
