Atlas of Multiple Sclerosis 2013: A growing global problem with widespread inequity

Abstract

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is one of the world's most common neurologic disorders, and in many countries it is the leading cause of nontraumatic neurologic disability in young adults. Despite this, global information on the epidemiology of MS and the availability of resources and services for people with MS is scarce in many regions of the world. The first Atlas of MS , published in 2008 as a joint project of the Multiple Sclerosis International Federation (MSIF) and the World Health Organization (WHO),1 endeavored to fill this knowledge gap with information from 112 countries. Here, we outline important updates in the recently launched Atlas of MS 2013: Mapping Multiple Sclerosis around the World. 2 The authors thank Bernard Uitdehaag, PhD (VU University Medical Center, the Netherlands); Ed Holloway (Multiple Sclerosis Society, UK); Lekha Pandit, MD, PhD (Nitte University, India); and Mario Battaglia, MD (Associazione Italiana Sclerosi Multipla, Italy) of the MSIF Atlas of MS Study Group Committee who developed the templates used to collect the data for this manuscript.