Secondary health conditions in individuals with multiple sclerosis: a cross-sectional web-based survey analysis.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare the rates of secondary health conditions in individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS) with age-matched U.S. general population norms.

Method: This was a cross-sectional study in which data were collected using a Web-based survey from members of the greater Midwest MS society chapter. Questions were modeled from the National Health Interview Survey to assess the presence of six health conditions. Self-reported health conditions among the sample were compared to U.S. general population norms from the National Health Interview Survey.

Results: Individuals with MS reported higher rates of depression, arthritis, diabetes, coronary artery disease, migraine headaches, and cancer than the normative population. Although the rates of health conditions increased with age in the normative sample, the MS sample showed a curvilinear (bimodal) pattern as a function of age for some secondary health conditions.