TY - JOUR
AU - Al Worikat
AU - A. Zanotto
AU - S. G. Lynch
AU - A. J. Thuringer
AU - J. J. Sosnoff
AU - T. Zanotto
A1 - 
AB - BACKGROUND: With the increasing median age of people with multiple sclerosis (MS), age-related syndromes such as frailty have emerged as new challenges to patient well-being. Prior research on frailty in MS has primarily focused on physical aspects, leaving the relationship between frailty and mental health unexplored. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the associations between frailty, mental health, and quality of life (QoL) in people with MS. DESIGN: Cross-sectional questionnaire-based study conducted at the Center for MS Care at the University of Kansas Medical Center. METHODS: Participants completed validated measures of frailty (Tilburg Frailty Indicator), anxiety and depression (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale), QoL (Multiple Sclerosis Quality of Life-54), and disability level (Patient-Determined Disease Steps). RESULTS: A total of 204 patients with MS (median age: 51 (interquartile range = 18) years, 74% women) took part in the study. Overall, 50.5% of respondents were classified as frail. Frail participants were older than their non-frail counterparts (p = 0.018) and had higher levels of anxiety and depression (p < 0.001). Frailty status was also associated with lower QoL scores across physical and mental health domains (p < 0.001). In logistic regression analyses adjusted for age, sex, and disability, higher anxiety scores (odds ratio (OR) = 1.45, 95% confidence interval (CI) (1.28, 1.65), p < 0.001) and depression scores (OR = 1.58, 95% CI (1.365, 1.843), p < 0.001) were associated with greater odds of being frail. CONCLUSION: This study revealed a strong association between frailty, mental health, and QoL in people with MS. These findings underscore the need for greater attention to both physical and psychological well-being in people with MS. Future research should explore whether integrated care strategies may improve outcomes in this population.; Frailty, mental health, and quality of life in people with multiple sclerosis This study revealed strong associations between frailty and mental health measures, independent of age, sex, and disability, in people with MS. Frail participants exhibited a higher proportion of anxiety (58.3% vs. 14.9%) and depressive symptoms (41.7% vs. 5.0%), as well as lower quality of life, compared to the non-frail. These observations emphasize the importance of conducting further research on integrated care strategies to maximize both the physical and psychological well-being in MS communities.; eng
AD - Department of Occupational Therapy, School of Rehabilitation Science, The University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan.; Department of Occupational Therapy Education, School of Health Professions, The University of Kansas Medical Center, KS, USA.; Department of Physical Therapy, Rehabilitation Science, and Athletic Training, School of Health Professions, The University of Kansas Medical Center, KS, USA.; Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, The University of Kansas Medical Center, KS, USA.; Landon Center on Aging, The University of Kansas Medical Center, KS, USA.
AN - 41522449
BT - Ther Adv Chronic Dis
C5 - Healthcare Disparities
DO - 10.1177/20406223251408288
DP - NLM
ET - 20260107
JF - Ther Adv Chronic Dis
LA - eng
N2 - BACKGROUND: With the increasing median age of people with multiple sclerosis (MS), age-related syndromes such as frailty have emerged as new challenges to patient well-being. Prior research on frailty in MS has primarily focused on physical aspects, leaving the relationship between frailty and mental health unexplored. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the associations between frailty, mental health, and quality of life (QoL) in people with MS. DESIGN: Cross-sectional questionnaire-based study conducted at the Center for MS Care at the University of Kansas Medical Center. METHODS: Participants completed validated measures of frailty (Tilburg Frailty Indicator), anxiety and depression (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale), QoL (Multiple Sclerosis Quality of Life-54), and disability level (Patient-Determined Disease Steps). RESULTS: A total of 204 patients with MS (median age: 51 (interquartile range = 18) years, 74% women) took part in the study. Overall, 50.5% of respondents were classified as frail. Frail participants were older than their non-frail counterparts (p = 0.018) and had higher levels of anxiety and depression (p < 0.001). Frailty status was also associated with lower QoL scores across physical and mental health domains (p < 0.001). In logistic regression analyses adjusted for age, sex, and disability, higher anxiety scores (odds ratio (OR) = 1.45, 95% confidence interval (CI) (1.28, 1.65), p < 0.001) and depression scores (OR = 1.58, 95% CI (1.365, 1.843), p < 0.001) were associated with greater odds of being frail. CONCLUSION: This study revealed a strong association between frailty, mental health, and QoL in people with MS. These findings underscore the need for greater attention to both physical and psychological well-being in people with MS. Future research should explore whether integrated care strategies may improve outcomes in this population.; Frailty, mental health, and quality of life in people with multiple sclerosis This study revealed strong associations between frailty and mental health measures, independent of age, sex, and disability, in people with MS. Frail participants exhibited a higher proportion of anxiety (58.3% vs. 14.9%) and depressive symptoms (41.7% vs. 5.0%), as well as lower quality of life, compared to the non-frail. These observations emphasize the importance of conducting further research on integrated care strategies to maximize both the physical and psychological well-being in MS communities.; eng
PY - 2026
SN - 2040-6223 (Print); 2040-6223
SP - 20406223251408288
ST - Frailty and its association with mental health and quality of life in multiple sclerosis: A cross-sectional study
T1 - Frailty and its association with mental health and quality of life in multiple sclerosis: A cross-sectional study
T2 - Ther Adv Chronic Dis
TI - Frailty and its association with mental health and quality of life in multiple sclerosis: A cross-sectional study
U1 - Healthcare Disparities
U3 - 10.1177/20406223251408288
VL - 17
VO - 2040-6223 (Print); 2040-6223
Y1 - 2026
ER -