Patients with myasthenia gravis (MG) may experience challenges related to disability, especially in the realm of social engagement, according to findings recently published in BMC Public Health.
MG is a fairly heterogenous disease, with symptoms ranging from mild to life-threatening. As such, patients experience diverse impacts on quality of life and functional ability, both of which can also be influenced by external factors such as employment and community engagement.
The study’s authors utilized the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule (WHODAS 2.0), which evaluates disability in the context of these social determinants of health, to assess the factors influencing functional ability in patients with MG. Higher WHODAS 2.0 scores are associated with more severe functional impairment.
The study included 286 patients in Taiwan with MG-related disabilities, representing approximately 5% of all patients living in Taiwan with MG during the study period. Neuromusculoskeletal disabilities were most common, impacting 69.4% of participants.
Read more about resources for MG
Patients older than 64 years were more likely to experience challenges related to cognition, mobility, self-care, getting along with others and daily activities than those 64 years of age and younger.
Notably, there was no significant difference by age in level of functional impairment related to social participation. This may suggest that individuals with MG, regardless of age, may experience difficulties with community involvement, the authors explained. This was supported by the fact that only 10.5% of participants aged 18 to 64 were employed.
At baseline, patients who lived in institutions and those with multiple MG-associated disabilities had higher WHODAS 2.0 scores, on average, while ambulatory patients had lower scores.
At follow-up, greater improvements in WHODAS 2.0 score were observed in participants who could not walk independently, who did not have impaired respiratory function and who lived in institutions. Some of these individuals may have had greater access to rehabilitation services due to health insurance covering care based on their level of disability, the authors suggested.
“Given the impact of functional limitations on employment, future research may focus on return-to-work interventions, as labor market participation plays a crucial role in fostering social engagement for individuals with MG,” the study concluded.
Sign up here to get the latest news, perspectives, and information about MG sent directly to your inbox. Registration is free and only takes a minute.
