Facilitating and Inhibiting Factors regarding Quality of Life in Patients with Multiple Sclerosis: A Qualitative Study

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic progressive disease related to the central nervous system, which affects the patients' quality of life. Several factors play the roles of facilitators and inhibitors concerning the life quality of these patients. This study aims to explain the facilitating and inhibiting factors with regard to the life quality of MS patients.

The present study was conducted through a conventional content analysis approach. Through purposive sampling and semi-structured interviews, 18 MS patients referring to the Isfahan MS Association were selected. Data collection continued until data saturation was reached. For data management, MAXQDA-10 software was used.

Through content analysis of the interviews, 4 main categories and 15 sub-categories were identified. The main categories included personal facilitators (leisure time and coping strategies), interpersonal facilitators (exercise therapy, social support and social organizations), interpersonal inhibitors (physical problems, psychological disorders, uncertain future, functional limitations, losing job and poverty) ,and environmental inhibitors (disease and treatment process, caregivers' fatigue, insufficient information about MS, family tensions, and fun and entertainment).

According to the results of the current research, by taking measures such as providing educational and psychological services for patients and their caregivers, appropriate insurance coverage, easy access to drugs, especially foreign ones with reasonable tariffs, social and financial support, raising the society's awareness regarding this disease and developing an appropriate urban texture can help to improve the quality of life in MS patients.