Assessing Unmet Social Needs in Multiple Sclerosis Care in Australia: A Qualitative Assessment of Feasibility, Barriers and Enablers

Abstract

Background: Unmet social needs (including housing, transport and social inclusion) contribute substantially to health outcomes, especially for people with long-term health conditions such as multiple sclerosis (MS). Whether assessment of unmet social needs occurs in MS clinical care is unclear. This study aims to (1) understand current practices, (2) identify barriers and enablers to social needs assessments in MS care, and (3) explore the feasibility of social needs screening tools. Methods: This qualitative descriptive study comprised focus groups and interviews with clinicians, carers and people with MS in Australia. We inductively and deductively coded transcripts and used applied themat..