Employment as a health promotion intervention for persons with multiple sclerosis

To examine the relationship between employment status (no employment, part-time employment, and full-time employment) and functional disability, health-related quality of life, and life satisfaction of people with MS.

157 individuals with MS completed a survey packet, including employment status, self-report disability severity, and health-related scales. A series of multivariate analysis of variance was performed to determine the differences between employment groups in health-related outcomes.

The unemployed group had the highest levels of incapacity and social impairments among the three groups. They also had the lowest physical health-related quality of life and life satisfaction. The part-time employed group had the lowest levels of depression and higher levels of physical activity participation among the three groups of individuals with MS.

Employment is significantly related to health-related quality of life, and as a result, it should be considered an important public health intervention for people with MS.