The effect of multiple sclerosis diagnosis on relations with other people in the patient’s workplace Review article

Abstract

Multiple sclerosis is a disease that reveals itself usually at the time of early adulthood, and the patient is often diagnosed with it at the start of their professional career. Most patients with minimal or moderate neurological symptoms are still able to continue working and earning a living. In this article, we present the findings of a survey conducted among the community of the TacyJakJa. pl portal of patients suffering from multiple sclerosis, concerning the attitude of employers and colleagues at work towards the patient in the context of their disease. Contradictory to common belief that in order to be able to continue in their job, patients prefer not to disclose their diagnosis, as many as 74% respondents in our survey said that they did inform their employer about having been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. The reaction of the employer was evaluated as positive (the average scored was 7.4 on a 1 to 10 scale), with many of them offering various forms of support to their employees diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. At the same time, patients do not expect any privileges and they rarely take advantage of the rights that they are entitled to as disabled persons. The medical community should paint a more optimistic picture of the professional future of these newly-diagnosed patients – and it seems that the numerous social educational campaigns concerned with multiple sclerosis have started to produce effects in the shape of positive changes in the social attitudes manifested towards people with this disease.