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Published on: December 9, 2015
Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Multiple Sclerosis Prevalence
Annette M Langer-Gould1, Edlin Grisell Gonzales1, Jessica B Smith1
1From the Los Angeles Medical Center (A.M.L.-G.); Department of Neurology (A.M.L.-G.), and Department of Research & Evaluation (E.G.G., J.B.S., B.H.L.), Southern California Permanente Medical Group, Pasadena; and Department of Epidemiology and Population Health (L.M.N.), Stanford University School of Medicine, CA.
Multiple sclerosis (MS) prevalence is similarly high in White and Black populations but significantly lower in Hispanic and Asian individuals in Southern California. These findings highlight the underrecognized burden of MS in the US Black community.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Epidemiology
- Public Health
Background:
- Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic autoimmune disease affecting the central nervous system.
- Understanding the demographic variations in MS prevalence is crucial for public health initiatives and resource allocation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the prevalence of multiple sclerosis (MS) across different racial and ethnic groups.
- To determine if MS prevalence varies significantly by race and ethnicity in a large, multiethnic population.
Main Methods:
- A retrospective cohort study was conducted using electronic health records of over 2.6 million adults.
- Data from Kaiser Permanente Southern California between 2008 and 2010 were analyzed for individuals with an ICD-9 code for MS.
- MS prevalence was estimated and stratified by age, sex, race, and ethnicity, with age- and sex-standardized rates calculated using the 2010 US Census population.
Main Results:
- A total of 3,863 patients with MS were identified.
- Age- and sex-standardized MS prevalence per 100,000 was high among Black (225.8) and White (237.7) individuals.
- Prevalence was significantly lower in Hispanic (69.9) and Asian (22.6) individuals, with the highest female preponderance observed in Asian and Black women.
Conclusions:
- Multiple sclerosis prevalence differs notably by race and ethnicity, with similar high rates in White and Black individuals and lower rates in Hispanic and Asian individuals in Southern California.
- The findings suggest a long-underrecognized burden of MS within the US Black community.
- Further research is needed to explore MS emergence in US Hispanic adults and variations among different ancestral backgrounds in Hispanic and Asian populations.
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