Beyond clinical factors: the role of social support as a positive environmental factor in reducing work-related difficulties

ROMAN, M. SOL; GONZÁLEZ, FEDERICO MARTÍN; BARDONESCHI, LARA; EIZAGUIRRE, M. BARBARA; GATTI, ARIADNA; DE LOS SANTOS, LOANA; CÁCERES, FERNANDO; VANOTTI, SANDRA

Congreso; 38th Congress of the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS 2022); 2022

Introduction: Persons with Multiple Sclerosis (PwMS) report high levels of unemployment. Perceived social support (PSS) has been proposed as an environmental factor that can mitigate workrelated difficulties but has been poorly studied. Objectives: to study differences in PSS dimensions among three work status groups: Work-Stable, Work-Challenged and Work-Disabled and to analyse the influence of PSS dimensions in missed days, harassment and cognitive and physical work accommodations. Aims: To explore if PSS is a positive environmental factor in mitigating work-related difficulties. Methods: 89 PwMS (RRMS 93.3%; PPMS 5.6%; SPMS 1.1%)were included. 60.00% female, mean age: 39.61±10.13 years; education: 13.63±2.84 years; disability (EDSS): 2.51±1.85; disease evolution: 10.10±7.40 years. Measuring instruments: PSS:MOS (Medical Outcomes Study Social Support Survey); Clinical Variables: EDSS, Beck Depression Inventory-II; Employment: Argentine Adaptation of the Buffalo Vocational Monitoring Survey. PSS dimensions include the size of the social network of friends (MOSFriends) and family (MOSFamily) and three types of PSS: emotional/informational, affective and instrumental support. Results: 44 PwMS were included in the Work-Stable group, 18 in Work-Challenged, and 27 in Work-Disabled. Two generalized linear mixed models (Poisson distribution) were built to test group differences in MOSfamily and MOSfriends. Deviance difference with a corresponding null model was not significant for MOSfamily (p=0.86), but significant for MOSfriends (χ2 (2)= 8.74, p