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Examining intersections of biographies & biologies: Diversity & outcomes of people with multiple sclerosis in Canada
Ruth Ann Marrie1, Kaarina Kowalec2, Afolasade Fakolade3
1Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada; Department of Community Health and Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada; Nova Scotia Health, Halifax, NS, Canada.
Background:
Although advances have been made in understanding multiple sclerosis (MS) disease etiology and developing new therapeutics, the benefits of these advances have been distributed inequitably across population groups. Persons with MS (PwMS) who are racialized, men, of lower social position, or living in rural areas experience worse outcomes for reasons yet to be fully elucidated.
Objective:
We designed a prospective three-year longitudinal study to assess the individual and joint effects of contextual, biographical, and biological factors (e.g., sex, age, and genetics), on performance-based and patient-reported outcomes among groups under-represented in MS research.
Methods:
We will enroll 500 PwMS and 100 individuals without MS who are aged ≥18 years, resident in Canada, able to complete interviews in English, commit to three years of participation, and self-identify as belonging to ≥1 of these groups: men, racialized, immigrant within the last ten years, 2SLGBTQI+, rural resident (population <10,000) or living with moderate-to-severe disability. Following e-consent, participants will provide a saliva sample for DNA collection and complete four telephone interviews over three years (at baseline and yearly thereafter).
Conclusions:
This study will provide insight into the joint contributions of contextual, biographical, and biological factors to health outcomes among underrepresented groups with MS.