Media Release: Unique national study to examine social, biological factors of people with MS in Canada
A team of researchers is launching a national study this month to better understand how biological and social factors can influence health outcomes for Canadians living with multiple sclerosis (MS), which affects more than 90,000 people in the country, making it one of the highest rates in the world.
Each person’s experience with MS is different, due in large part to factors like their gender, age, ethnicity and if they live in a city or not. Together, these factors contribute to a person’s diversity, yet researchers are unsure which of these may put people at the greatest health disadvantage.
With almost $2 million in funding from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the interdisciplinary team at Dalhousie University, the University of Manitoba, Queen’s University and the University of Waterloo, will examine that relationship to improve the health of people with MS who have historically not been part of past studies.
The team will develop ways to test how biological factors, like genetics, age and sex, contribute to health outcomes in people with MS. That will involve recruiting 500 diverse people with MS from across Canada to look at how a person’s biology, lifetime experiences and environment affect their health. The research will test ways to best support people with MS who experience health disadvantages because of their experiences and environments.
The researchers, co-led by University of Manitoba Dr. Kaarina Kowalec, associate professor at College of Pharmacy, will work closely with people living with MS, as well as health-care providers, advocacy groups and health policy decision-makers. Other co-principal investigators include Dr. Ruth Ann Marrie, professor at Dalhousie University, and a long-time UM MS researcher.
“We are taking an inclusive approach to ensure our research findings are meaningful, equitable and actionable,” said Kowalec. “Understanding diverse life stories and biological differences can help advance effective care and support for everyone living with MS.”
People can visit the study site to get more information on eligibility or contact: msepidemiology@nshealth.
For more information contact: mediarelations@umanitoba.ca