Table 1 Participant characteristics

Age: Mean (SD)

58.6 (11.3)

52.4 (17.0)

Sex: No. (%)

 Male

339 (20.1)

486 (47.6)

 Female

1344 (79.9)

535 (52.4)

Education level: No. (%)

 Secondary school or less

429 (25.5)

290 (28.4)

 Occupation certificate or diploma

587 (34.9)

362 (35.4)

 Bachelor’s degree

360 (21.4)

259 (25.4)

 Postgraduate degree

296 (17.6)

108 (10.6)

 Unknown

11 (0.6)

2 (0.2)

Socioeconomic status by area: No. (%)

 Well below average (first quantile)

194 (11.5)

182 (17.8)

 Below average (second quantile)

265 (15.8)

179 (17.5)

 Average (third quantile)

306 (18.2)

184 (18.0)

 Above average (fourth quantile)

342 (20.3)

219 (21.5)

 Well above average (fifth quantile)

575 (34.2)

256 (25.0)

 Unknown

1 (0.1)

1 (0.1)

COVID-19-related adversity

 Reported adversity

716 (42.5)

300 (29.4)

 Did not report adversity

950 (56.5)

721 (70.6)

 Unknown

17 (1.0)

0 (0.0)

Multiple Sclerosis Group Only

 Disability Severity: No. (%)

  No disability

402 (23.9)

  Mild disability

343 (20.4)

  Moderate disability

608 (36.1)

  Severe disability

317 (18.8)

  Unknown

13 (0.8)

Phenotype: No. (%)

 Relapsing–Remitting

1066 (63.3)

 Secondary Progressive

240 (14.3)

 Progressive Onset

236 (14.0)

 Unknown

141 (8.4)

How Is Your Life Group Only

Reporting of Chronic Disease: No. (%)

 Reported chronic disease

602 (59.0)

 Did not report chronic disease

364 (35.6)

 Unknown

55 (5.4)

Types of Chronic Disease: No. (%)

 Psychiatric

250 (24.5)

 Musculoskeletal

247 (24.2)

 Respiratory

120 (11.8)

 Oncological

28 (2.7)

 Endocrinological

114 (11.2)

 Cardiovascular

69 (6.8)

 Gastrological

13 (1.2)

 Neurological

40 (3.9)

 Sensory

11 (1.1)

 Other

14 (1.4)