Multiple sclerosis deaths occur earlier among Black patients

Black people with multiple sclerosis (MS) die from MS at a younger age than white people, with a peak mortality rate at ages 65 to 74 for Black people and ages 75 to 84 for white people, according to a study published July 22, 2026, in Neurology^® Open Access, an official journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

"The reasons behind these health disparities are unclear, but they could be related to differing disease progression, access to health care, lifestyle and other factors such as co-occurring conditions," said study author Lilyana Amezcua, MD, of the University of Southern California in Los Angeles and a Fellow of the American Academy of Neurology.

For the study, researchers reviewed data on deaths in the overall U.S. population from 2012 to 2023 as well as deaths that listed MS as a cause of death.

The overall death rate for people with MS was 1.10 per 100,000 people, with a rate of 1.34 for female individuals and 0.82 for male individuals. When looking at race and ethnicity, the rates were highest for Black people, with rates of 1.56 for females and 0.97 for males. For white people, the rates were 1.54 for females and 0.92 for males. For Hispanic people, the rates were 0.38 for females and 0.26 for males. For other races and ethnicities, the rates were 0.18 for females and 0.11 for males.

The researchers also found that deaths that included high blood pressure as a factor increased over 2019-2023 across white and Black people.

"These results highlight the urgent need to develop targeted interventions to better control high blood pressure, including earlier screening, improved access to primary care and approaches to reduce the effects of cardiovascular complications, especially among groups at elevated risk," Amezcua said.

A limitation of the study was the use of death certificates, which may not always include MS as a cause of death.

The study was supported by the U.S. Department of Defense and the Bristol Myer Squibb Foundation.