biostudies-literatureUnknown25(1)Wilson S<h4>Background</h4>Access to healthcare and socioeconomic deprivation are intricately linked. No studies have been led to measure the effect of healthcare accessibility on mortality in patients with MS so far. The objective was to examine the influence of travel time to the expert MS centre and of the accessibility to primary healthcare services on excess mortality in MS.<h4>Methods</h4>A retrospective observational cohort study recruited patients from 18 French MS expert centres, with an onset of MS between 1960 and 2015 and a follow-up of up to 30 years. Primary health facility accessibility was measured by the Spatial aCcessibility multiscAlar index. Specialist care accessibility was measured by road travel time to the expert MS centre. Excess death rates (EDR) and excess hazard ratios BMC neurology441https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC12557845biostudies-literatureInfluence of geographical accessibility to specialist and primary care givers on excess mortality of multiple sclerosis patients in France.PMC12557845Le Page EWilson SLabauge PArnaud CHeinzlef ODebouverie MDerache NRollot FMoreau TRemontet LVukusic SZephir HCiron JFauvernier MThouvenot EGuittet LLebrun-Frenay CLaunay LDejardin OBerger ESeze JBranger PLeray EPelletier JCamdessanche JPClavelou PDefer GLaplaud DACalocer FRuet AfalseInfluence of geographical accessibility to specialist and primary care givers on excess mortality of multiple sclerosis patients in France.<h4>Background</h4>Access to healthcare and socioeconomic deprivation are intricately linked. No studies have been led to measure the effect of healthcare accessibility on mortality in patients with MS so far. The objective was to examine the influence of travel time to the expert MS centre and of the accessibility to primary healthcare services on excess mortality in MS.<h4>Methods</h4>A retrospective observational cohort study recruited patients from 18 French MS expert centres, with an onset of MS between 1960 and 2015 and a follow-up of up to 30 years. Primary health facility accessibility was measured by the Spatial aCcessibility multiscAlar index. Specialist care accessibility was measured by road travel time to the expert MS centre. Excess death rates (EDR) and excess hazard ratios 2025-01-01T00:00:00Z2025 Oct2026-06-05T07:49:44.504Z2026-05-14T03:12:45.128ZS-EPMC125578454114606310.1186/s12883-025-04459-z