Depression and, to a greater extent, anxiety remain underdiagnosed and undertreated in multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a recent study, and both substantially contribute to reduced health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in MS. Researchers linked clinical and administrative data for 859 participants with MS; HRQOL was measured by the Health Utilities Index (Mark III). They classified participants as depressed or anxious using administrative data, self-reported physician diagnoses, and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). They found:

• Lifetime prevalence estimates for depression were approximately 30% regardless of methods used, but 35.8% with current depressive symptoms were not captured by either method.
• Prevalence estimates of anxiety ranged from 11% to 19%, but 65.6% with current anxiety were not captured by either method.
• Prior diagnoses did not decrease HRQOL after accounting for current symptoms.