Barriers for work in people with multiple sclerosis: a Norwegian cultural adaptation and validation of the short version of the multiple sclerosis work difficulties questionnaire.
Britt Normann, Ellen Christin Arntzen, Cynthia A Honan
PMID 39635507WHAT IT FOUND
The Norwegian version of the MSWDQ-23 reliably measures work difficulties in people with multiple sclerosis.
It distinguishes those who worked recently from those who did not, and separates relapsing-remitting from progressive MS based on physical barriers. Use it to identify specific employment obstacles during routine follow-up.
Key findings
01The Norwegian MSWDQ-23 showed excellent internal consistency and fair model fit, confirming its three-factor structure.
02Participants who had worked in the previous 12 months reported significantly fewer work difficulties than those who had not.
03People with relapsing-remitting MS reported significantly fewer physical work difficulties than those with progressive MS.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The cross-sectional design means test-retest reliability was not examined. Healthy controls were not included, so it is not possible to confirm that reported difficulties are unique to MS rather than general work stressors. The study did not follow up to see if the questionnaire scores actually predicted future employment outcomes. A floor effect was observed in the external barriers subscale, suggesting that generous Norwegian welfare benefits may mask some employment difficulties for a portion of the population.
Declared interests
The study was funded by the Northern Norway Regional Health Authority. The funder played no role in the design, conduct, or reporting of the study.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume the scale predicts future job loss or retention. The study only showed that the scale distinguishes between those who worked recently and those who did not, not that it forecasts what will happen to employment next.