Stigma and social participation among members of racial and ethnic minority groups with multiple sclerosis.

BACKGROUND

Members of racial and ethnic minority groups with multiple sclerosis (MS) often face increased stigma due to their marginalized identities and lack of coping resources, leading to negative social consequences such as unfair evaluations, exclusion, and limited opportunities.

OBJECTIVE

The goal of this cross-sectional study was to assess how stigma is associated with social participation in members of racial and ethnic minority groups with MS.

METHODS

A total of 224 members of racial and ethnic minority groups with MS participated in the study. Hierarchical regression analysis was conducted to examine whether higher scores in stigma are associated with lower levels of social participation after controlling for demographic, socioeconomic variables and functional limitations among members of racial and ethnic minority groups with MS.

RESULTS

Our results demonstrated that after controlling all other variables, increased levels of stigma were negatively associated with social participation. Overall, the entire model containing all predictor variables explained 42% of the variance in social participation.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings showed that stigma is associated with social participation after controlling for all other variables, highlighting the need for interventions to address stigma and promote social participation among members of racial and ethnic minority groups with MS.