title: Epilepsy patients: health status and medical consumption.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the health status and medical consumption of outpatients with active epilepsy in comparison with the general population.
  
  
  METHODS
  Descriptive population study (multi-stage random sample).
  
  
  METHODS
  Structured questionnaire.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-nine epilepsy patients compared with a general population of 12,975.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Epilepsy patients revealed poorer health, a higher mean complaint score (5.3 versus 3.7, P < 0.05), a higher score on the General Health Questionnaire (P < 0.05), a somewhat higher score on the bio-logical problem list (BIOPRO) (1.8 versus 1.4, P > 0.05), less active sports engagement (16% versus 39%, P < 0.01), more fatigue (46 vs 29%, P < 0.05), dizziness (33 vs 10%, P < 0.01), nervousness (28 vs 18%, P > 0.05), sleep disturbance (23 vs 15%, P > 0.05) and excitability (33 vs 15%, P < 0.01) when compared with the general population. The BIOPRO showed problems in epilepsy patients on specific items related to self-confidence (P < 0.001) Epileptic patients do not show more absence due to illness, from work, school or at home (15 vs 18%, P > 0.05) and/or more problems at work or in the family when compared with the general population. Almost half of epilepsy patients had consulted a specialist in the past 2 months (46 vs 23% of the general population, P < 0.001). Epilepsy patients consulted the family physician slightly more often than other responders (3.0 versus 2.3, P > 0.05) and contacted the family physician's assistant considerably more often (2.3 versus 0.7, P < 0.001). One-third of epilepsy patients consulted an alternative healer in the past 5 years versus 14% in the general population (P < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study shows an excess of psychosocial problems and medical consumption in epilepsy patients, but not more absence from work or problems at work or in the family. Further development of a quality of life instrument specific to epilepsy is advised.
authors.affiliation: NIVEL: Dutch National Survey of General Practice, Utrecht.
authors.forename: G A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Donker
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Foets
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Spreeuwenberg
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000553:Ambulatory Care; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009426:Netherlands / Q000453:epidemiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires