Social Support in Relation to Fatigue Symptoms Among Patients with Multiple Sclerosis

The psychological changes and physiological limitations during multiple sclerosis (MS) disease diminish the social relations. Consequently, losing social supports leads to more physical and psychological complications such as fatigue syndromes. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the relationship of social support and fatigue syndromes in MS patients.

This study was a descriptive-analytic which randomly selected 46 patients with MS. The patients evaluated through demographic information, standard modified social support scale, fatigue severity scale, modified fatigue impact scale, and fatigue descriptive scale. Gathered data analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistical Pearson's correlation coefficient.

Mean score for variables were as following: Fatigue severity 4/3 ± 1/6, perceived fatigue 34/6 ± 19/5, quality of fatigue 62 ± 3/9, and social support 65/6 ± 23/1, respectively. According to the Pearson statistical test, there was signification association between social support with fatigue severity (P = 0.002 and r = -0.474), fatigue perception (P = 0.001 and = -0.478), and fatigue perception sub-scales, i.e. physical (P = 0.005, r = -0.432), cognitive (P = 0.003, r = -0.0457), and psychosocial (P = 0.009, r = -0.341), respectively. However, there was not significant relationship between social support and fatigue quality (P = 0.59).

According to the results of current study, all aspects of social support can impact fatigue symptoms in MS patients. Therefore, it is suggested to develop educational programs for caregivers of patients to improve the mental and physical quality of life of patients.