MS Prevalence Considerable in Women of All Races, Ethnicities

An analysis of data for a diverse and representative population of the United States revealed a substantial multiple sclerosis (MS) burden in women of all races and ethnicities. Researchers published their findings in the journal Multiple Sclerosis and Related Disorders.

“Population studies in MS were previously hampered by the inaccuracy of single diagnostic codes, which have a low specificity,” wrote researchers. “Over time, identification of people with MS has been refined by the use of algorithms, culminating in the validation of the Multiple Sclerosis Prevalence Workgroup (MSPW) algorithm, which was validated in multiple large datasets in distinct health systems.”

To identify the prevalence and demographics of MS in a diverse population, researchers applied the MSPW algorithm to 6.6 million individuals in the OneFlorida Data Trust, a database that captures structural health data and electronic health records across 10 academic and community-based health systems in Florida.

The population in the study included nearly 2 million people identifying as Hispanic and more than 1 million people identifying as Black.  

A total 9681 people with MS were identified by the MSPW algorithm, according to study authors. Per 100,000 people, the overall prevalence was 145.83.

In women, the prevalence of MS was considerable across all races and ethnicities: per 100,000, it ranged from 138.86 to 253.76, reported researchers.

Just over half (52.6%) of people with MS had one or more prescriptions for disease-modifying therapy, noted study authors. People with MS who were Hispanic had a higher likelihood of having a prescription for disease-modifying therapy.

“Variation in treatment utilization among demographic subgroups underscores the need for additional studies to assess health care disparities in MS at the population level,” wrote researchers.

Reference:
Carlson AM, Vervloet Sollero C, Nair KV, et al. Prevalence of multiple sclerosis and treatment utilization in a large, highly diverse population. Mult Scler Relat Disord. 2022;61:103784. doi:10.1016/j.msard.2022.103784