1256 Psychological impacts of COVID-19 pandemic on individuals living with multiple sclerosis: a rapid systematic review

Zarghami, Amin; Hussain, Akhtar; Campbell, Julie; Ezegbe, Chigozie; van der Mei, Ingrid; Taylor, Bruce; Claflin, Suzi

BACKGROUND: People living with multiple sclerosis (PwMS) are considered potentially vulnerable to the mental health effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, as they may be subject to increased social isolation. We aimed to systematically review the current evidence on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health outcomes among PwMS. METHODS: We searched four major databases (Medline, EMBASE, PsychInfo and Scopus). We included peer-reviewed primary research studies using validated quality of life (QoL) and psychometric screening tools reporting data on the prevalence of mental health disorders, the severity of psychological symptoms and contributing demographic and clinical factors for PwMS during the COVID-19 pandemic. RESULTS: Our initial search yielded 121 records; 12 articles were included. Most were conducted during the peak of the pandemic-related lockdown in the host country via an online platform. The included studies used a variety of outcome assessment tools and study designs. The main mental health outcomes were depression, anxiety, stress, sleep quality and QoL. As a result, although the prevalence of mental health issues such as depression and anxiety appear to be high among PwMS during the pandemic, the impact of the pandemic on mental health among PwMS remains unclear. CONCLUSIONS: Although mental health issues such as anxiety and depression appear fairly common among PwMS during the pandemic, the relationship between the pandemic and mental health among PwMS remains unclear. KEY MESSAGES: Despite a high prevalence of mental health issues among PwMS during the pandemic, the relationship between the pandemic and mental health remains unclear.