Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on access to healthcare services amongst patients with multiple sclerosis in the Lazio region, Italy.

ABSTRACT:

Background and purpose

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a complex chronic, autoimmune inflammatory disease involving multidisciplinary assessments and interventions. Access to outpatient specialist and home healthcare services was explored during the pandemic outbreak and the lockdown amongst MS patients in the Lazio region. Adherence to disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) is also described.

Methods

A population-based study was conducted using regional healthcare administrative databases. A validated algorithm was used to identify MS cases over the period 2011-2018. The numbers of specialist and home-based services were compared between 2019 and 2020. The medication possession ratio was used to measure adherence to DMTs.

Results

A total of 9380 MS patients were identified (6

SUBMITTER: Colais P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8250799 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature