About COB-MS
Approximately 50-65% of the 9,000 people in Ireland living with MS have difficulties with cognition – including memory, attention and even problem-solving. These difficulties can impact their daily lives and its quality, from childcare and work, to social and self-care activities. Despite such high numbers of people with MS who experience these cognitive difficulties, there is a lack of research on programs designed to lessen such difficulties and their wide-ranging effects, while also supporting patients through helping them in their everyday lives.
Why COB-MS?
The Cognitive Occupation-Based program for people with Multiple Sclerosis (COB-MS) was developed with a holistic focus on rehabilitation in MS, through an individualised cognitive intervention, measured by and taught through an occupational participation perspective; in order to address the wide-ranging symptoms and functional difficulties that present in MS. These include the ability to maintain: employment, social activities, managing the home and self-care. Simply, COB-MS is a non-pharmacological treatment for cognition of people with MS that focuses on the aspects of their own daily life that are important to them.
Public and Patient Involvement
Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) is a method of increasing the chances of a successful health-based research program by involving people with lived experience of a particular condition (e.g. MS) as partners in the research process. COB-MS currently involves a number of PPI processes, such as the inclusion of two ‘embedded patient researchers’; along with a Patient Advisory Panel and PPI members on our trial steering committee.
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PPI has been consulted throughout the roll-out of COB-MS in an effort to provide detailed answers regarding lived-experience queries. These consultations have been of great importance for developing methodological solution strategies. The feedback garnered from our panel has allowed us to make positive methodological amendments and better understand the needs, motivations and attitudes of our patient participants.
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We continue to have PPI as a key focus of our work.
