No significant differences in absenteeism or academic achievements in a Norwegian multiple sclerosis case control...

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Epidemiology
• Public Health

Background:

• The pre-diagnosis phase (prodrome) of multiple sclerosis (MS) and its potential impact on daily functioning remain poorly understood.
• Existing research lacks clarity on whether individuals with a future MS diagnosis exhibit distinct academic or attendance patterns during their formative years.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate if individuals diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) show increased school absenteeism or poorer academic performance in upper secondary school compared to matched controls.
• To explore potential correlations between the time to MS diagnosis and academic outcomes.

Main Methods:

• A registry-based study in southeastern Norway identified individuals born in 1978 or later diagnosed with MS.
• Data on school absence and grades in core subjects were obtained from Statistics Norway for cases and age, gender, and county-matched controls.
• Analysis focused on the three years of upper secondary school preceding diagnosis.

Main Results:

• The study identified 107 cases with MS onset at least one year post-graduation and 626 controls.
• No statistically significant differences in school absence or grades were observed between individuals with MS and controls.
• No association was found between the time to MS diagnosis and academic performance or attendance records.

Conclusions:

• The findings indicate no discernible difference in upper secondary school absence or grades in the four years prior to MS onset compared to controls.
• A potential prodromal phase of MS may not manifest with cognitive impairments severe enough to affect school performance.