[Epileptic patients: work and entailing risks (author's transl)].
We made a survey of 450 epileptic patients to find out how their disability affected their jobs and what risks were involved. 60% of the patients questioned had jobs. Those who did not work had frequent attacks and neurological and/or psychiatric handicaps. About 50% of the working epileptic patients were self-employed against a figure of 35% for the self-employed population in our region. In 6.6% of the cases, accidents had occurred at work because of attacks. In half of these cases the accident was not serious and in the other of no account. There is little difference between the Italian population in general and the epileptic when we consider the risks involved at work. This may be attributed to the prudence and common sense the patients show in their choice of work (when this is possible) and in the way they perform their work. Italian law on civil disability limits the work for which epileptics may be employed. For this reason they very often hide their illness from their employer and co-workers.
D000062:Accidents, Occupational; D004651:Employment; D004827:Epilepsy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D007883:Legislation, Medical; D008297:Male; D012306:Risk; D014478:Unemployment
Attivita' lavorativa e rischio nell'epilettico.