There is some information about family history and genetic association with this disease in terms of twins and family associated disease. Diagnostic evaluations are more difficult to collect. It is not intuitively obvious for a patient to identify the type of MS they have. Therefore, queries about relapse and attack frequency are used. It is, however, difficult to tell from this information if the patient is relapse-remitting or secondary progressive.
Some information is gathered on medication and therapies, both historical and present.
The scale asks how these symptoms impact the patient in terms of their daily activities. Approximately 10,000 people have self enrolled, with data provided for half of the enrollees verified. Relapses appear to occur at similar rates throughout all populations. Veterans with MS are significantly less likely to be employed outside of the home. The Spinal Cord Dysfunction Registry got its start around 1993 as a project that was funded by Health Services Research and Development and the Paralyzed Veterans of America.