Photo Credit: Ilya Ginzburg
Researchers published findings in Multiple Sclerosis and Related Disorders, revealing that people diagnosed with MS frequently experience suicidal ideation (SI), especially when they also face anxiety and depression, as well as among those experiencing only mild depression. David Gillespie, PhD, ClinPsyD, MSc, and colleagues examined SI in the FutureMS cohort, which included 440 patients, newly diagnosed with relapsing-remitting MS. The authors assessed SI at baseline (median, 60 days after diagnosis) and again 12 months later. Among the 12.8% of patients who reported SI at baseline, researchers observed higher levels of disability, anxiety, depression, fatigue, and other physical challenges. While the prevalence of SI decreased to 9.6% after a year, the researchers noted that 16% of those with SI at baseline had only mild depression. As such, Dr. Gillespie and colleagues noted their findings demonstrate a need for proactive screening and support for patients newly diagnosed with MS, regardless of depression severity.
