What impact does family awareness of multiple sclerosis information have on the quality of life experiences for people with MS

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

WHAT IS MS1

i. Impairments Associated with MS1

ii. Variability of the Disease1

COPING WITH MS3

OUTLINE AND JUSTIFICATION3

Research Questions, Aim and Objectives4

Hypothesis5

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY6

QUALITATIVE DATA METHODS6

QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH METHOD6

SAMPLING8

Recruting strategy8

DATA COLLECTION8

INTERVIEW FAMILIES AND PATIENTS8

Selection Criteria9

Data Coding9

Data Analysis Techniques9

DATA ANALYSIS METHODS10

ANTICIPATED OUTCOMES10

Limitations and Challenges11

Ethical Considerations11

Dissemination12

TIMETABLE12

REFERENCES13

APPENDIX17

Study Analysis19

What impact does family awareness of multiple sclerosis information have on the quality of life experiences for people with MS

What is MS

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a chronic progressive neurological disease. This disease of the immune system attacks the myelin sheath that surrounds the axons of the central nervous system, resulting in brain lesions and a wide variety of disabling impairments. MS encompasses many physical, cognitive, and psychological factors that affect virtually all aspects of life, including career and family. Multiple sclerosis is a disease of the nervous system. It occurs in young and middle aged (15-40 years). A feature of the disease is the simultaneous failure of several different parts of the nervous system, which leads to the appearance of patients with various neurological symptoms.

i. Impairments Associated with MS

The most common impairments associated with MS involve mobility, fatigue, sexual function, bladder control, cognition, as well as neurobehavioral disturbances. The disease is progressive; however, the course and prognosis are highly variable (Thorne, et al., .2004, pp 5).

ii. Variability of the Disease

Benz argued MS affects individuals differently and there is no existing knowledge on its course (Liedstrom, et al., 2010, pp 331). This seems to suggest that valuable information about each particular case of MS and how it can be manage will most likely emanate from the person living with MS. Yet most research continues to emphasise the centrality of professional information instead of patient originated information (Thorne, et al., .2004, pp 5).

The most common variability among the people suffering from MS is visual threshold. To date, the most common is that the multiple sclerosis may result from a random combination of a number of the person's adverse external and domestic factors. Adverse environmental factors are common viral and bacterial infections, the impact of toxic substances and radiation, especially nutrition geoecological place to live, especially large effect on the body of his children, trauma, and frequent stressful situations.

Rolland (1984, 1994a) explains that it is not enough to know that families have an important role within the illness process; it is important to understand the delicate balance between the interaction of the time phase of an illness, the illness type, and the family or partner strengths and weaknesses. Rolland categorizes illnesses and their time phases. He groups illness typology by distinguishing between them in the following ways:

a. onset (acute vs. gradual),

b. course (progressive, constant, or relapsing),

c. outcome (non-fatal, shortened life-span or leading to sudden or early death), and

d. incapacitation

Rolland then combines these categories into a grid, creating 32 typologies of illness. On this grid, multiple sclerosis is an incapacitating illness that can be either relapsing or progressive, ...