This year, the UK MS Register once again had the exciting opportunity to exhibit at the MS Trust Conference, a key event for the MS clinical community. It was an inspiring and engaging experience for all involved, as we showcased the work of the Register and engaged with experts, clinicians, and individuals impacted by MS. 

We were also able to catch up with colleagues and friends from lots of other MS projects, including the MS Pregnancy Register, Octopus, MS Together, and Digesting Science, to name a few. 

As well as an exhibition stand, our team also had a research poster on display which attracted attention from a wide range of attendees. The poster was created by Register analyst Sarah Knowles and titled: Gender difference in interest in sexual activity in people with MS. 

In late 2024 the Register launched a set of lifestyle questionnaires which collected data on a range of subjects such as sleep, social activity, and bladder/bowel health. As part of this we also asked participants about their interest in sex. Data on this was collected using PROMIS, the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System. It was data collected from this questionnaire which was subsequently used for the poster.

 

The general findings of this research (so far) is that older age, higher levels of disability, depression, anxiety, and fatigue are all associated with lower levels of interest in sex. These patterns are present in both genders. However, sexual interest does appear to be consistently higher in men.  

The conference provided us with a platform to share this work and during the event, we had the chance to present Sarah’s poster to a large audience during the ‘poster speed-dating’ session. Although a little nerve-wracking, this was a great opportunity to share the work of the Register with a wide audience and it prompted many people to visit our stand afterwards to discuss the research.  

Attending the conference was an inspiring and rewarding experience. It reinforced the importance of community and collaboration in advancing the understanding of MS. Our research poster and exhibition stand may have been our focal point whilst there, but the real highlights were the opportunities to engage with the MS clinical community, hear about the work of other MS projects, and learn from them.  Thank you to everyone who visited our stand, viewed our poster, engaged in conversations, and shared insights with us. Together, we can make sense of MS.