Table 2.
Stratification of all factors considered for modeling the contact-to-evaluation time (columns 3 and 4) and the evaluation-to-diagnosis time (columns 5 and 6).
| Levels | Contact-to-evaluation time: within 1 month | Contact-to-evaluation time: more than 1 month | Evaluation-to-diagnosis time: within 6 months | Evaluation-to-diagnosis time: more than 6 months | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| N | 354 | 168 | 412 | 110 | |
| Diagnosis time period | 1996–2000 | 42 (11.9%) | 38 (22.6%) | 58 (14.1%) | 22 (20%) |
| 2001–2010 | 150 (42.4%) | 69 (41.1%) | 171 (41.5%) | 48 (43.6%) | |
| After 2010 | 162 (45.8%) | 61 (36.3%) | 183 (44.4%) | 40 (36.4%) | |
| Age at onset | 6–20 | 22 (6.2%) | 8 (4.8%) | 22 (5.3%) | 8 (7.3%) |
| 21–30 | 120 (33.9%) | 41 (24.4%) | 131 (31.8%) | 30 (27.3%) | |
| 31–40 | 107 (30.2%) | 50 (29.8%) | 122 (29.6%) | 35 (31.8%) | |
| 41–50 | 79 (22.3%) | 43 (25.6%) | 99 (24%) | 23 (20.9%) | |
| 51–70 | 10 (2.8%) | 16 (9.5%) | 20 (4.9%) | 6 (5.5%) | |
| NA | 16 (4.5%) | 10 (6%) | 18 (4.4%) | 8 (7.3%) | |
| PPMS | No | 336 (94.9%) | 133 (79.2%) | 379 (92%) | 90 (81.8%) |
| Yes | 17 (4.8%) | 35 (20.8%) | 32 (7.8%) | 20 (18.2%) | |
| NA | 1 (0.3%) | – | 1 (0.2%) | – | |
| Sex | Female | 267 (75.4%) | 117 (69.6%) | 304 (73.8%) | 80 (72.7%) |
| Male | 87 (24.6%) | 51 (30.4%) | 108 (26.2%) | 30 (27.3%) | |
| Decision tree—first two bifurcations | No setting change, first visit w/o neurologist | 246 (69.5%) | 115 (68.5%) | – | – |
| No setting change, first visit with neurologist | 32 (9%) | 14 (8.3%) | – | – | |
| Setting change, first visit w/o neurologist | 25 (7.1%) | 12 (7.1%) | – | – | |
| Setting change, first visit with neurologist | 51 (14.4%) | 27 (16.1%) | – | – | |
| Decision tree—last two bifurcations | First visit w/o neurologist, refer to other MD | – | – | 235 (57%) | 69 (62.7%) |
| First visit w/o neurologist, lead the tests | – | – | 49 (11.9%) | 10 (9.1%) | |
| First visit w/o neurologist, no action | – | – | 18 (4.4%) | 14 (12.7%) | |
| First visit with neurologist, lead the tests | – | – | 76 (18.4%) | 11 (10%) | |
| First visit with neurologist, no action or refer to other MD | – | – | 29 (7%) | 5 (4.5%) | |
| NA | – | – | 5 (1.2%) | 1 (0.9%) | |
| Living in mountainous area | No | 310 (87.6%) | 132 (78.6%) | 354 (85.9%) | 88 (80%) |
| Yes | 41 (11.6%) | 34 (20.2%) | 54 (13.1%) | 21 (19.1%) | |
| NA | 3 (0.8%) | 2 (1.2%) | 4 (1%) | 1 (0.9%) | |
| Place of first visit | Private practice | 226 (63.8%) | 123 (73.2%) | 267 (64.8%) | 82 (74.5%) |
| Hospital | 126 (35.6%) | 44 (26.2%) | 144 (35%) | 26 (23.6%) | |
| NA | 2 (0.6%) | 1 (0.6%) | 1 (0.2%) | 2 (1.8%) | |
| First symptoms (more than one possible) | Gait problems | 93 (26.3%) | 71 (42.3%) | 125 (30.3%) | 39 (35.5%) |
| Visual problems | 135 (38.1%) | 49 (29.2%) | 145 (35.2%) | 39 (35.5%) | |
| Bladder problems | 37 (10.5%) | 21 (12.5%) | 49 (11.9%) | 9 (8.2%) | |
| Balance problems | 90 (25.4%) | 52 (31%) | 116 (28.2%) | 26 (23.6%) | |
| Bowel problems | 24 (6.8%) | 14 (8.3%) | 29 (7%) | 9 (8.2%) | |
| Dizziness | 72 (20.3%) | 36 (21.4%) | 86 (20.9%) | 22 (20%) | |
| Dysarthria | 25 (7.1%) | 4 (2.4%) | 24 (5.8%) | 5 (4.5%) | |
| Paresthesia | 216 (61%) | 100 (59.5%) | 251 (60.9%) | 65 (59.1%) | |
| Weakness | 94 (26.6%) | 58 (34.5%) | 117 (28.4%) | 35 (31.8%) | |
| Paralysis | 87 (24.6%) | 46 (27.4%) | 105 (25.5%) | 28 (25.5%) | |
| Fatigue | 113 (31.9%) | 61 (36.3%) | 137 (33.3%) | 37 (33.6%) | |
| Pain | 41 (11.6%) | 25 (14.9%) | 52 (12.6%) | 14 (12.7%) | |
| Spasticity | 22 (6.2%) | 25 (14.9%) | 36 (8.7%) | 11 (10%) | |
| Sexual dysfunction | 17 (4.8%) | 18 (10.7%) | 27 (6.6%) | 8 (7.3%) | |
| Memory problems | 28 (7.9%) | 15 (8.9%) | 33 (8%) | 10 (9.1%) | |
| Depression | 32 (9%) | 21 (12.5%) | 37 (9%) | 16 (14.5%) | |
| Education level | Mandatory education/apprenticeship | 141 (39.8%) | 83 (49.4%) | 180 (43.7%) | 44 (40%) |
| School leaving certificate | 38 (10.7%) | 7 (4.2%) | 35 (8.5%) | 10 (9.1%) | |
| Higher professional education | 54 (15.3%) | 30 (17.9%) | 59 (14.3%) | 25 (22.7%) | |
| University degree | 105 (29.7%) | 42 (25%) | 121 (29.4%) | 26 (23.6%) | |
| NA | 16 (4.5%) | 6 (3.6%) | 17 (4.1%) | 5 (4.5%) | |
| Living situation | With partner only | 135 (38.1%) | 65 (38.7%) | 151 (36.7%) | 49 (44.5%) |
| With partner and children | 134 (37.9%) | 55 (32.7%) | 157 (38.1%) | 32 (29.1%) | |
| Alone | 55 (15.5%) | 39 (23.2%) | 73 (17.7%) | 21 (19.1%) | |
| Other | 28 (7.9%) | 9 (5.4%) | 29 (7%) | 8 (7.3%) | |
| NA | 2 (0.6%) | – | 2 (0.5%) | ||
| Language region of Switzerland | German | 302 (85.3%) | 135 (80.4%) | 340 (82.5%) | 97 (88.2%) |
| French | 38 (10.7%) | 21 (12.5%) | 51 (12.4%) | 8 (7.3%) | |
| Italian | 11 (3.1%) | 10 (6%) | 17 (4.1%) | 4 (3.6%) | |
| NA | 3 (0.8%) | 2 (1.2%) | 4 (1%) | 1 (0.9%) | |
| MS diagnosed in older relatives | Yes | 39 (11%) | 10 (6%) | 40 (9.7%) | 9 (8.2%) |
| No | 292 (82.5%) | 153 (91.1%) | 347 (84.2%) | 98 (89.1%) | |
| NA | 23 (6.5%) | 5 (3%) | 25 (6.1%) | 3 (2.7%) | |
| Swiss citizenship | Yes | 330 (93.2%) | 154 (91.7%) | 382 (92.7%) | 102 (92.7%) |
| No | 24 (6.8%) | 14 (8.3%) | 30 (7.3%) | 8 (7.3%) | |
| Typology of residence | Urban | 196 (55.4%) | 90 (53.6%) | 222 (53.9%) | 64 (58.2%) |
| Urban–rural | 99 (28%) | 41 (24.4%) | 111 (26.9%) | 29 (26.4%) | |
| Rural | 56 (15.8%) | 35 (20.8%) | 75 (18.2%) | 16 (14.5%) | |
| NA | 3 (0.8%) | 2 (1.2%) | 4 (1%) | 1 (0.9%) |
PPMS: primary progressive multiple sclerosis; NA: not available.