Latent Subtypes of Comorbidities in Multiple Sclerosis Patients: Insights from Social Media

Abstract

Multiple Sclerosis is a chronic neurological disease associated with various physical and cognitive impairments. Individuals with MS might also experience medical and psychiatric comorbidities that can exacerbate the severity of the disease and lower their overall well-being. Therefore, it becomes essential to identify these co-occurring health conditions at the early stages to optimize treatment and improve patient outcomes. Consequently, the objective of this study is to explore the commonly occurring comorbidities among MS patients around the globe from social media discourse. Furthermore, it aims to unveil public perceptions, providing insights that might not be captured via clinical research methods. The results indicate that psychiatric and autoimmune comorbidities are the most prevalent, whereas visual disorders are the least common among MS patients. Understating such patterns can help prioritize and guide interventions aimed at tailoring MS comorbidity management strategies to address the specific needs of MS patients.