To determine if there is a statistically significant difference in time from first symptom onset to diagnosis in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) across race, ethnicity, gender, age at onset of symptoms, and zip code.

Early diagnosis and treatment have been shown to improve long-term outcomes in individuals with MS. MS has historically been referred to as a "Caucasian women's disease." As a result, many other populations have reported experiencing delays in their diagnosis, a more severe disease course, and greater disability. These findings highlight the need for a better understanding of how and when MS presents in different populations and whether it is being diagnosed equitably across diverse groups.

Time to diagnosis was not different across gender, race, or ethnicity. Time to diagnosis in those diagnosed at older ages was 4.21 years compared to 1.30 years in those diagnosed at younger ages (p < 0.001). Time to diagnosis was 2.10 years for Caucasian women compared to 3.10 years for all others (p = 0.02).