Healthcare disruptions and use of telehealth services among persons with multiple sclerosis during the COVID-19 pandemic.

OBJECTIVE: The current study examined healthcare disruptions and use of telehealth services among persons with multiple sclerosis (pwMS) during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. DESIGN: Cross-sectional survey. SETTING: General community. PARTICIPANTS: Seventy pwMS and 93 healthy controls (HCs). The majority of respondents were from the United States (U.S.; 88%). INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Rates of healthcare disruptions (e.g., missing/canceling appointments, experiencing delays) and telehealth use for MS and non-MS medical care and mental healthcare. RESULTS: In this U.S.-majority, predominantly white and high socioeconomic status sample, 38-50% of pwMS reported experiencing disruptions in their MS and non-MS medical care and 20-33% reported disruptions in their mental healthcare, which were significantly lower than those observed among HCs. Compared to HCs, pwMS were more likely to utilize telehealth than in-person services, especially for mental healthcare. The majority of pwMS and HCs reported being satisfied with telehealth services. Individuals with higher degrees of functional limitation experienced more healthcare disruptions and were more likely to utilize telehealth services than individuals with lower degrees of functional limitation. CONCLUSIONS: Despite high healthcare disruption rates, pwMS frequently utilized and were highly satisfied with telehealth services during the COVID-19 pandemic. Due to physical limitations commonly observed in the MS population which may preclude travel, telehealth services should be continued even after resolution of the pandemic, in order to expand access and reduce healthcare disparities.