Top

Quality of Life Research

Published in:

01-11-2017

In-person and online social participation and emotional health in individuals with multiple sclerosis

Authors: Alica Sparling, Lauren A. Stutts, Haley Sanner, Marleen M. Eijkholt

Published in: Quality of Life Research | Issue 11/2017

Abstract

Purpose

Individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS) sometimes have barriers to social participation. The advent of the internet has created online support systems for social participation such as websites for individuals with MS. However, minimal research has been conducted about determinants of individuals’ in-person and online social participation or how types of social participation contribute to emotional well-being. The present study aims are: (1) to assess the role of access to resources and other determinants as enabling in-person and online social participation, and (2) to analyze the association between social participation and emotional health of individuals with MS.

Methods

The sample consisted of 508 individuals diagnosed with relapsing/remitting or secondary/progressive MS. Data from NARCOMS registry and data from original questionnaire on determinants of social participation and emotional health were merged. Logistic and linear regression analyses were performed.

Results

Individuals with access to the internet were more likely to participate online with friends (OR 5.47, p < .001) and the community (OR 47.7, p < .001). Individuals who regularly participate in in-person social participation with friends reported being happier (B = .38, p < .001), less depressed (B = −2.01, p < .001), and less anxious (B = −1.21, p < .001) than those who did not. However, there was no evidence of a relationship between emotional health and online social participation.

Conclusion

Increasing access to in-person social participation with friends will likely have the most positive impact on emotional health. Future research should examine the aspects of online participation that are helpful or harmful.

Lobentanz, I. S., Asenbaum, S., Vass, K., Sauter, C., Klösch, G., Kollegger, H., et al. (2004). Factors influencing quality of life in multiple sclerosis patients: Disability, depressive mood, fatigue and sleep quality. Acta Neurologica Scandinavica, 110(1), 6–13.CrossRefPubMed

National Multiple Sclerosis Society. (2016). MS prevalence. Retrieved from http://www.nationalmssociety.org/About-the-Society/MS-Prevalence.

Browne, P., Chandraratna, D., Angood, C., Tremlett, H., Baker, C., Taylor, B. V., et al. (2014). Atlas of multiple sclerosis 2013: A growing global problem with widespread inequity. Neurology, 83(11), 1022–1024. doi:10.1212/WNL.0000000000000768.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral

Cook, J. E., Germano, A. L., & Stadler, G. (2016). An exploratory investigation of social stigma and concealment in patients with multiple sclerosis. International Journal of MS Care, 18, 78–84.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral

Cacioppo, J. T., & Hawkley, L. C. (2003). Social isolation and health, with an emphasis on underlying mechanisms. Perspectives in Biology and Medicine, 46, S39–S52.CrossRefPubMed

Grant, N., Hamer, M., & Steptoe, A. (2009). Social isolation and stress-related cardiovascular, lipid, and cortisol responses. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 37, 29–37.CrossRefPubMed

Thoits, P. A. (2011). Mechanisms linking social ties and support to physical and mental health. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 52, 145–161.CrossRefPubMed

Victor, C. R., & Bowling, A. (2012). A longitudinal analysis of loneliness among older people in Great Britain. Journal of Psychology, 146, 313–331.CrossRefPubMed

Yilmaz, E., & Raynaud, D. (2013). The influence of social deprivation on length of hospitalisation. European Journal of Health Economics, 14, 243–252.CrossRefPubMed

10.

Mikula, P., Nagyova, I., Krokavcova, M., Vitkova, M., Rosenberger, J., Szilasiova, J., et al. (2015). Social participation and health-related quality of life in people with multiple sclerosis. Disability & Health, 8, 29–34.CrossRef

11.

Bambara, J. K., Turner, A. P., Williams, R. M., & Haselkorn, J. K. (2014). Social support and depressive symptoms among caregivers of veterans with multiple sclerosis. Rehabilitation Psychology, 59(2), 230–235. doi:10.1037/a0036312.CrossRefPubMed

12.

Gerich, J. (2014). Effects of social networks on health from a stress theoretical perspective. Social Indicators Research, 118, 349–364.CrossRef

13.

Tesar, N., Baumhackl, U., Kopp, M., & Günther, V. (2003). Effects of psychological group therapy in patients with multiple sclerosis. Acta Neurologica Scandinavica, 107, 394–399.CrossRefPubMed

14.

Schwartz, C. E. (1999). Teaching coping skills enhances quality of life more than peer support: Results of a randomized trial with multiple sclerosis patients. Health Psychology, 18, 211–220.CrossRefPubMed

15.

Anaby, D., Miller, W. C., Jarus, T., Eng, J. J., & Noreau, L. (2011). Participation and well-being among older adults living with chronic conditions. Social Indicators Research, 100, 171–183.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral

16.

Attard, A., & Coulson, N. S. (2012). A thematic analysis of patient communication in Parkinson’s disease online support group discussion forums. Computers in Human Behavior, 28(2), 500–506. doi:10.1016/j.chb.2011.10.022.CrossRef

17.

Mo, P. H., & Coulson, N. S. (2008). Exploring the communication of social support within virtual communities: A content analysis of messages posted to an online HIV/AIDS support group. Cyberpsychology & Behavior, 11(3), 371–374. doi:10.1089/cpb.2007.0118.CrossRef

18.

Goez, T. (2008). Practicing patients. New York Times Magazine. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/23/magazine/23patients-t.html?_r=1.

19.

Steinfield, C., Ellison, N. B., & Lampe, C. (2008). Social capital, self-esteem, and use of online social network sites: A longitudinal analysis. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 29, 434–445.CrossRef

20.

Ziebland, S. U. E., & Wyke, S. (2012). Health and illness in a connected world: How might sharing experiences on the internet affect people’s health? Milbank Quarterly, 90, 219–249.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral

21.

Wright, K. B. (2016). Communication in health-related online social support groups/communities: A review of research on predictors of participation, applications of social support theory, and health outcomes. Review of Communication Research, 4, 65–87.

22.

Hawton, A., Green, C., Dickens, A. P., Richards, S. H., Taylor, R. S., Edwards, R., et al. (2011). The impact of social isolation on the health status and health-related quality of life of older people. Quality of Life Research, 20, 57–67.CrossRefPubMed

23.

Hills, P., & Argyle, M. (2002). The Oxford happiness questionnaire: A compact scale for the measurement of psychological well-being. Personality and Individual Differences, 33, 1073–1082.CrossRef

24.

Lovibond, S. H., & Lovibond, P. F. (1995). Manual for the depression anxiety stress scales. Sydney: Psychology Foundation.

25.

Learmonth, Y. C., Motl, R. W., Sandroff, B. M., Pula, J. H., & Cadavid, D. (2013). Validation of patient determined disease steps (PDDS) scale scores in persons with multiple sclerosis. BMC Neurology, 25, 37–44.CrossRef

26.

Liu, J., Li, C., Carcioppolo, N., & North, M. (2016). Do our facebook friends make us feel worse? A study of social comparison and emotion. Human Communication Research, 42(4), 619–640. doi:10.1111/hcre.12090.CrossRef

27.

Jones, S. W., & Amtmann, D. (2015). The relationship of age, function, and psychological distress in multiple sclerosis. Psychology, Health & Medicine, 20(6), 629–634. doi:10.1080/13548506.2014.979209.CrossRef

28.

Lewis, V., Williams, K., KoKo, C., Woolmore, J., Jones, C., & Powell, T. (2016). Disability, depression and suicide ideation in people with multiple sclerosis. Journal of Affective Disorders, 208, 662–669. doi:10.1016/j.jad.2016.08.038.CrossRefPubMed

29.

Minden, S. L., Orav, J., & Reich, P. (1987). Depression in multiple sclerosis. General Hospital Psychiatry, 9(6), 426–434. doi:10.1016/0163-8343(87)90052-1.CrossRefPubMed

30.

McCabe, M. P., Stokes, M., & McDonald, E. (2009). Changes in quality of life and coping among people with multiple sclerosis over a 2 year period. Psychology, Health, and Medicine, 14, 86–96.CrossRefPubMed

31.

Kahneman, D., & Deaton, A. (2010). High income improves evaluation of life but not emotional well-being. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences in the United States of America, 107, 16489–16493. doi:10.1073/pnas.1011492107.CrossRef

Title: In-person and online social participation and emotional health in individuals with multiple sclerosis
Authors: Alica Sparling
Lauren A. Stutts
Haley Sanner
Marleen M. Eijkholt
Publication date: 01-11-2017
Publisher: Springer International Publishing
Published in: Quality of Life Research / Issue 11/2017
Print ISSN: 0962-9343
Electronic ISSN: 1573-2649
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11136-017-1645-y

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

Springer Medicine

In-person and online social participation and emotional health in individuals with multiple sclerosis

Abstract

Purpose

Methods

Results

Conclusion

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

Springer Medicine

Abstract

Purpose

Methods

Results

Conclusion

Please log in to get access to this content

Other articles of this Issue 11/2017

Idio Scale Judgment: evaluation of a new method for estimating responder thresholds

The quality of life of older people aging in place: a literature review

Establishing benchmark EQ-5D-3L population health state utilities and identifying their correlates in Gansu Province, China

Resilience to health challenges is related to different ways of thinking: mediators of physical and emotional quality of life in a heterogeneous rare-disease cohort

Socio-demographic, clinical characteristics and utilization of mental health care services associated with SF-6D utility scores in patients with mental disorders: contributions of the quantile regression

Viability of the World Health Organization quality of life measure to assess changes in quality of life following treatment for alcohol use disorder