Multiple Sclerosis
Conditions
Keywords
polypharmacy, medication use, medication understanding, medication management, multiple sclerosis, adherence, medication burden, home medication review
Brief summary
The goal of this observational study is to learn how people with multiple sclerosis (MS) understand, organise, and use their medicines at home. The study aims to explore how people take their prescribed and non-prescribed medicines, what challenges they experience, and whether any safety issues arise in day-to-day medication use. Participants will take part in one home visit with trained student researchers. During the visit, researchers will review all medicines and supplements the participant uses, ask about routines and any difficulties, check medication packaging with permission, and ask a brief question about memory. No treatment changes will be made. Information will be reviewed by a senior clinician, and any safety concerns will be shared with the participant's usual healthcare team.
Interventions
None listed
Sponsors
University of Nottingham
University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust
Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust
Study design
Observational model
OTHER
Time perspective
CROSS_SECTIONAL
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
* Adults aged 18 years and over with a confirmed diagnosis of multiple sclerosis * Living in the community (not in residential care) * Taking at least one prescribed medication * Able to provide informed consent or, for those without capacity to provide informed consent, with a consultee available to provide consultee declaration and provide information during home-based medication review * Willing and able to participate in a home-based medication review
Exclusion criteria
* Severe cognitive or communication impairment without a consultee to provide consultee declaration and medication-related information * Participants for whom a home visit is deemed unsafe * Non-English speakers
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Medication Burden (Descriptive) | Baseline | Total number of prescribed and non-prescribed medications and supplements used by each participant, recorded during the home-based medication review. This includes dose, frequency, route, and source of each item. The outcome will be summarised descriptively (counts, means, ranges). |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Medication Adherence (MARS-5 Score) | Baseline | Self-reported adherence measured using the 5-item Medication Adherence Report Scale (MARS-5). Scores range from 5 to 25, with higher scores indicating better adherence. Results will be summarised descriptively. |
| Medication-Related Challenges | Baseline | Proportion of participants reporting difficulties with medication supply, administration, formulation, or perceived effectiveness, based on structured trigger questions. Reported descriptively. |
| Subjective Cognitive Decline (Single-Item Question) | Baseline | ("Yes"/"No") to the validated single-item subjective cognitive decline question ("Do you feel you have more problems with your memory than most?"). Used to contextualise medication-taking behaviours. Summarised descriptively. |
| Medication Organisation and Use of Aids | Baseline | Use of medication aids such as dosette boxes, blister packs, phone reminders, or charts. Recorded as present/absent and described using frequencies. |
| Medication Storage and Safety Issues | Baseline | Number and type of potential safety issues identified during the home visit, including expired medicines, duplicate supplies, unmonitored supplements, or storage concerns. Summarised descriptively. |
Contacts
CONTACTLaura Edwards, FRCP PhD
Outcome results
None listed