Level of Knowledge about Multiple Sclerosis (SM) Among the Family Members of People Suffering from the Disease

Abstract

Background. Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an crucial health and social problem in Poland. Disease and disability occupy lives, affecting not only careers but also the functions of social roles and family life. One of the primary functions of the family, particularly visible in the case of illness of one of its members, is the parental role. Healthy family members must take on a caring role - a role that is without foundation knowledge of the procedure and patient care will cause considerable difficulties and care provider will be quickly discouraged, and his work will be ineffective.
Aim. Aim of this study was to investigate the knowledge of multiple sclerosis among family members of people living with MS.
Material and methods. The study was conducted in the Department of Neurology, 10 Military Hospital (WSK) in Bydgoszcz. The study included 100 people who are members of families visiting patients with multiple sclerosis in the Department of WSK in. The study was conducted using a proprietary research tool - a questionnaire.
Results. Family members did not recognize all of the factors that may provoke relapse of MS. More than half of respondents (64%) mistakenly believe that "fatigue" in the SM applies only to the physical realm of the patient, and the best procedure is merely a rest. Families do not know all the ways of treating MS. Only half of the respondents (51%) know that rehabilitation is one for practice in MS. Tested family know that MS is a chronic disease, and consequently may lead to disability (93%). Half of the respondents did not know that they can seek the help of associations bringing together people with a similar diagnosis. One in three people based only on their knowledge of what the patient knows about the disease, 20% of respondents said that they read specialist literature on MS.
Conclusions. The results clearly show that the families of patients suffering from multiple sclerosis do not have sufficient knowledge needed to properly care for the sick. Family education does not work like you might expect. There is great need to find the reasons for this, because the families themselves - as declared - feel obliged to extend their knowledge. (PNN 2013;2(2):69-74)