Analysis of Spirituality in Patients with Multiple Sclerosis

Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an inflammatory and chronic illness, physical symptoms and limitations compromise  the person's quality of life. 

Objectives: To correlate the Spirituality of scale with the time of diagnosis, type of MS and level of disability (EDSS). 

Methods: Quantitative research on a Social Institution in São Paulo, for MS, with spirituality scale. 

Results: Sample of 23 women and 12 men, between 20 and 66, average of 46.8. Singles 45.7%, 62.9% Catholic, with relapsing remitting (RR) 60% diagnosis with more than 10 years, 57.1%. There 68.7% of people with EDSS between 0 and 6.5. Agreeing or strongly enough that their spiritual / religious beliefs give meaning to your life, 88.5%. With regard to the forces who put in their beliefs and faith in difficult times, 85.7% agree or strongly enough. See the future with hope, 85.7%. Feeling that life has changed for the better, 48.6% agree somewhat. They agreed fully enough or they have learned to appreciate the little things in life, 85.8%. There was no statistically significant correlation between the variables, except between EDSS and type of MS, in which RR has higher frequency of up to 2.5 EDSS, and that the type Secondly Progressive (SP) has a higher frequency EDSS 7 to 8.5 . 

Conclusions: Spirituality gives strength and meaning for life. However, one cannot consider that his life has changed for the better. There is a correlation between the type of MS and EDSS.