Common factors in MS diagnoses
Age
MS can affect individuals of any age, but the average diagnosis age globally is 32 years. Across the world, MS affects 0.13 to 0.6 children and teenagers per 100,000 per year.
MS often affects young adults, with an average onset age of around 26 in the UAE.
Ethnic Background
Susceptibility rates vary among diverse groups, with recent findings suggesting that northern European and North American Caucasians may be the most at-risk ethnic groups.
Although, across the Middle East, MS diagnoses have increased manifold in the last 25 years.
Gender
Following recent international prevalence studies, MS is more common in women than in men, suggesting that hormones may also play a significant role in determining susceptibility to MS.
Females are twice as likely to have MS. 67% of women vs 33% of men in the UAE.
Geography
In general, MS is more common in areas farthest from the equator. A lack of sunlight exposure can cause vitamin D deficiencies, which may be linked to an increasing prevalence of a range of conditions, including MS.
However, it’s worth noting that prevalence rates may differ significantly among groups living in the same geographic area regardless of distance from the equator.