Epidemiological investigations into multiple sclerosis in Southern Hesse. IV. The influence of urban and rural environment on disease risk.

Residence during childhood and at disease onset in urban, semirural and rural communities respectively was investigated in an epidemiological group of MS patients in Southern Hesse (West Germany). Patients originated more frequently from small rural communities and less frequently from provincial towns than expected, whereas residences at onset corresponded to the distribution in the general population. The size of the community of residence did not influence age at onset, the later progression rate or the symptoms at onset.