Hackensack, NJ -- (SBWIRE) -- 08/12/2014 -- The Summer 2014 issue of the leading peer-reviewed publication on multidisciplinary multiple sclerosis (MS) care, the International Journal of MS Care (IJMSC), www.ijmsc.org, features an article on "The Multiple Sclerosis Self-Management Scale” by Setareh Ghahari, Lana S. Khoshbin, and Susan J. Forwell. Since the importance of self-management is widely acknowledged in MS care, this cross-sectional study is significant in finding that the MSSM possesses satisfactory to good test-retest reliability, moderate to high criterion validity, and moderate face validity.
"Dr. Ghahari and colleagues report new data on the scale’s psychometric properties and suggest changes to the content of the MSSM that may enhance its validity,” said Francois Bethoux, MD, Editor in Chief of IJMSC.
The Summer issue of IJMSC also has an article that addresses the validity of commonly used questionnaires for depression (the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale [HADS] and the Beck Depression Inventory [BDI-II]) and anxiety (the Beck Anxiety Inventory [BAI]) as screening tools for these mood disorders in people with MS. “Validation of Mood Measures for People with Multiple Sclerosis,” authored by Tessa M. Watson and colleagues, used a structured clinical interview as the gold standard, and found that both the HADS and BDI-II exhibited high sensitivity and specificity for detecting anxiety and depression, while the BAI exhibited low specificity for detecting anxiety.
Additional articles in the Summer issue explore how rehabilitation and exercise are one of the pillars of comprehensive MS management. “Short-Term Effect of Aerobic Exercise on Symptoms in Multiple Sclerosis and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome,” by Yvonne C. Learmonth and colleagues, suggests that undertaking 15 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic cycling exercise may not exacerbate pain or function within a 24-hour period in those with MS or chronic fatigue syndrome.
“Rehabilitation Interventions for the Management of Multiple Sclerosis Relapse,” by Miho Asano and colleagues, reviewed three multidisciplinary rehabilitation interventions that were effective in improving impairment after an MS exacerbation. The authors concluded that further investigation is needed to better understand the rehabilitation needs of people with MS after a relapse in order to improve research and care.
Two articles in the issue address important practical problems faced by clinicians and their patients. One is symptom fluctuation in relation to the drug dosing cycle, covered in “Multiple Sclerosis Symptom Recrudescence at the End of the Natalizumab Dosing Cycle,” by John N. Ratchford and colleagues.
Another issue is satisfaction with various disease-modifying therapies (DMTs). In the article “Treatment Satisfaction in Multiple Sclerosis,” Bonnie I. Glanz and others found no significant difference in overall treatment satisfaction between four widely prescribed DMTs, but differences were identified in terms of perceived treatment efficacy, side effects, and convenience.
Finally, the article “Value, Challenges, and Satisfaction of Certification for Multiple Sclerosis Specialists,” by Elsie E. Gulick and June Halper evaluates the MS specialist certification that was launched by the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers (CMSC) in 2002 to improve care of people affected by MS.
All articles in the Summer 2014 issue of IJMSC are accessible through various types of searches on PubMed Central (PMC), a free electronic archive of full-text biomedical and life sciences journal literature at the US National Institutes of Health’s National Library of Medicine (NLM). Three years’ worth of back issues (going back to the Spring 2011 issue) of IJMSC are now also included in the PMC archive. Citations and abstracts of these articles are retrievable in PubMed, the NLM’s journal abstract database. The IJMSC can also be accessed from the publication website at www.ijmsc.org.
The IJMSC is also pleased to announce that it was selected again this year as a winner of the 2014 APEX Award (Awards for Publication Excellence), in the category “Magazines & Journals - Print, over 32 pages.” The APEX Awards recognize outstanding publications of all types and are based on excellence in graphic design, quality of editorial content, and the success of the publication in achieving overall communications effectiveness.
About IJMSC
The International Journal of MS Care (IJMSC) is the official peer-reviewed journal of the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers (CMSC) and leading publication on MS clinical care. It is also the official publication of the International Organization of Multiple Sclerosis Nurses (IOMSN), the International Organization of Multiple Sclerosis Rehabilitation Therapists (IOMSRT), and Rehabilitation in Multiple Sclerosis (RIMS). The quarterly IJMSC publishes high-quality research, reviews, and consensus papers on a broad range of clinical topics of interest to MS health-care professionals, including neurological treatment, nursing care, rehabilitation, neuropsychological status, and psychiatric/psychosocial care. The mission of the journal is to promote multidisciplinary cooperation and communication among the global network of MS health-care professionals, with the goal of maximizing the quality of life of people affected by MS.
The IJMSC has won many editorial and design excellence awards, including the APEX Award, Communicator Award, and Hermes Creative Award. For more information on the journal, visit www.ijmsc.org.
About CMSC
CMSC, the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers, is the leading international educational, training, and networking organization for MS health-care professionals and researchers. The CMSC’s mission is to promote quality MS care through educational programming and accreditation including live and online events, research grants, technical journals and papers, and targeted advocacy efforts. The CMSC member network includes more than 7,000 international health-care clinicians and scientists committed to MS care as well as more than 60 Veterans Administration MS Programs and 225 MS Centers in the US, Canada, and Europe. For more information, visit www.mscare.org.