Table 2.
Characteristics of interview participants
| Characteristic | Patients (n = 10) | Care partners (n = 9) | Total (N = 19) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age, mean (range), years | 52.5 (35–63) | 46.2 (30–64) | 49.5 (30–64) |
| Gender, n (%) | |||
| Male | 3 (30.0) | 3 (33.3) | 6 (31.6) |
| Female | 7 (70.0) | 6 (66.7) | 13 (68.4) |
| Race/ethnicity, n (%) | |||
| Hispanic | 3 (30.0) | 2 (22.2) | 5 (26.3) |
| White | 6 (60.0) | 7 (77.8) | 13 (68.4) |
| Mixed | 1 (10.0) | 0 (0.0) | 1 (5.3) |
| Education, n (%)a | |||
| Some high school | 1 (10.0) | 1 (11.1) | 2 (10.5) |
| High school or equivalent (e.g., GED) | 1 (10.0) | 1 (11.1) | 2 (10.5) |
| Some college but no degree | 3 (30.0) | 2 (22.2) | 5 (26.3) |
| Associate degree/technical school | 1 (10.0) | 2 (22.2) | 3 (15.8) |
| College degree | 3 (30.0) | 1 (11.1) | 4 (21.1) |
| Professional or advanced degree | 1 (10.0) | 2 (22.2) | 3 (15.8) |
| EDSS score, n (%) | |||
| 4 | 2 (20.0) | N/A | 2 (20.0) |
| 4.5 | 2 (20.0) | N/A | 2 (20.0) |
| 5 | 1 (10.0) | N/A | 1 (10.0) |
| 5.5 | 1 (10.0) | N/A | 1 (10.0) |
| 6 | 0 (0.0) | N/A | 0 (0.0) |
| 6.5 | 1 (10.0) | N/A | 1 (10.0) |
| 7 | 1 (10.0) | N/A | 1 (10.0) |
| Clinical presentation based on physician assessment, n (%)b | |||
| Ability to walk, bowel and bladder | 1 (10.0) | N/A | 1 (10.0) |
| Ability to walk, coordination, speech and swallowing, bowel and bladder, visual disturbance | 1 (10.0) | N/A | 1 (10.0) |
| Current medications to treat MS, n (%)c | |||
| Oral | |||
| One | 1 (10.0) | 1 (11.1) | 1 (10.0) |
| Two | 1 (10.0) | 1 (11.1) | 1 (10.0) |
| Three | 1 (10.0) | 1 (11.1) | 1 (10.0) |
| Four | 3 (30.0) | 2 (22.2) | 3 (30.0) |
| Injectable medications | |||
| One | 2 (20.0) | 2 (22.2) | 2 (20.0) |
| Infused medications | |||
| One | 4 (40.0) | 3 (33.3) | 4 (40.0) |
| Relationship of care partner to patient with MS, n (%)a | |||
| Fiancé | N/A | 1 (11.1) | 1 (11.1) |
| Spouse | N/A | 4 (44.4) | 4 (44.4) |
| Paid care partner | N/A | 4 (44.4) | 4 (44.4) |
| Duration of care by care partner to MS patient, mean (range), years | |||
| Total | N/A | 11.0 (4–21) | 11.0 (4–21) |
| With dyad patient | N/A | 9.6 (2–21) | 9.6 (2–21) |
EDSS Expanded Disability Status Scale, GED general education development, MS multiple sclerosis, N/A not applicable
aPercentages do not equal 100 due to rounding
bIn the absence of EDSS, equivalent clinical presentation included assessment of the following: ability to walk, coordination, speech and swallowing, touch and pain, bowel and bladder, visual disturbance, cognition, and other related neurologic signs or symptoms
cCare partner report of patient current medication use was identical, with only information from nine care partners included; therefore, total reflects the overall number of medications per category per patient