Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacy Practice, Faculty of Pharmacy, Yarmouk University, Irbid, Jordan.
Department of Biology and Biotechnology, Faculty of Science, The Hashemite University, Zarqa, Jordan.
Int J Psychiatry Med. 2025 Jan;60(1):7-16. doi: 10.1177/00912174241272680. Epub 2024 Aug 6.
Clinicians have noted that the ongoing war on Gaza has had a psychological impact on people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS) whose mental health is particularly vulnerable during stressful times such as these. The present study sought to examine the prevalence and correlates of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms among PwMS in Jordan during the Gaza war outbreak.
This was a cross-sectional study involving 171 patients (PwMS) out of 372 patients approached (46% response rate) who were being seen in the MS unit at Al Bashir Hospital, Ammann, Jordan. Inclusion criteria required that participants had been following daily news updates of the October 7 war in Gaza during a period of 4 months.
Of participants, 125 (73.1%) were female, 98 (57.3%) were on therapy for less than five years, and 30 (17.5%) reported having a relapse during the past 6 months. Significant PTSD symptoms were identified in 58.5% (100 of 171 participants). Those at higher risk were the unemployed (OR = 2.14, 95% CI = 1.13-4.07, = 0.02), whereas patients receiving dimethyl fumarate (19.9%) were at lower risk (OR = 0.43, 95% CI = 0.19-0.94, = 0.02).
The high rate of significant PTSD symptoms among people with MS in this study underscores the need for attention by primary care providers and the implementation of a comprehensive multidisciplinary approach to optimize the mental well-being of this fragile population.
临床医生注意到，加沙地带的持续战争对多发性硬化症患者（PwMS）造成了心理影响，他们的心理健康在这些紧张时期尤为脆弱。本研究旨在探讨在加沙战争爆发期间，约旦多发性硬化症患者（PwMS）中创伤后应激障碍（PTSD）症状的患病率及其相关因素。
这是一项横断面研究，涉及在约旦安曼的巴希尔医院的 MS 病房就诊的 372 名患者中的 171 名患者（46%的应答率）。纳入标准要求参与者在过去 4 个月内一直关注每日有关加沙 10 月 7 日战争的新闻报道。
在参与者中，125 名（73.1%）为女性，98 名（57.3%）接受治疗不到 5 年，30 名（17.5%）在过去 6 个月内报告有复发。171 名参与者中有 58.5%（100 名）存在明显的 PTSD 症状。失业者风险更高（OR=2.14，95%CI=1.13-4.07，p=0.02），而接受二甲基富马酸治疗的患者（19.9%）风险较低（OR=0.43，95%CI=0.19-0.94，p=0.02）。
本研究中多发性硬化症患者中明显 PTSD 症状的高发生率强调了初级保健提供者关注的必要性，并需要实施综合多学科方法，以优化这一脆弱人群的心理健康。
