The third edition of the Atlas of MS gives far more information than just how many people have the disease in the world (estimated to be 2.8 million), country by country. The Atlas of MS describes itself as “the most extensive worldwide study of the epidemiology of MS and the global availability and accessibility of resources for people with multiple sclerosis.”
How the MS Atlas Is Compiled
To find the most recent data, the MSIF reached out to each country in the world — specifically, to their health ministries or departments of health, as well as to patient advocacy organizations — in addition to reviewing current open-source data. In all, 115 countries responded to the request for epidemiology data. While that figure represents just under 60 percent of the world’s countries (there are 195 since South Sudan became an independent state in 2011), those countries who did respond represent 87 percent of the world’s total population. Responses to the request for clinical management data was slightly lower (107 countries), but the responding countries still represented 82 percent of the population.
What the MS Atlas Shows Us About the State of MS
One of the big takeaways from reading the reports available on the Atlas website is that between 2013 and 2020, the estimated number of people living with MS has increased from 2.3 million to 2.8 million. However, beyond just epidemiology and numbers, there is a deep dive into categories of information like how people are diagnosed, the use of disease modifying drugs (DMT), symptom management, healthcare provision, and many others. A few of the takeaways in these areas include:
Over 80 percent of countries worldwide have barriers that prevent early diagnosis of MS. The most commonly reported barrier is a lack of awareness of MS symptoms among both the public and healthcare professionals.Over 70 percent of countries cite barriers to accessing DMTs.There is high unmet need for rehabilitation and symptom management.
The authors of the MS Atlas acknowledge that the quality of data varies from country to country, and there are still big gaps in what is known about MS around the globe.
The MS Atlas Makes Me Feel More Connected
It might be a bit MS nerdy of me to get excited about projects like this, but I know I’m not alone in the MS community when it comes to a desire to be informed. To wit, the MS Atlas offers the opportunity for anyone who would like updates and ongoing information about the project to sign up and receive new data as it is released. With World MS Day only a few weeks away, something like this site makes me somehow feel more connected with my fellow travelers on this journey of life with multiple sclerosis. For those of you interested in such things, I hope it does for you as well. Wishing you and your family the best of health. Cheers, Trevis
