Health status of people with epilepsy compared with a general reference population.
OBJECTIVE
To study the impact of epilepsy in a representative sample of people with epilepsy and compare with a normal reference population.


METHODS
We collected clinical and demographic data and information on health status by using the Short Form 36 (SF-36) questionnaire in two populations: (a) 397 patients with confirmed epilepsy attending a county hospital during a 7-year period, and (b) 1,663 patients from a random sample representative of the entire national population.


RESULTS
The respondents with epilepsy had well-regulated disease and showed the characteristics of a community sample: 70% had had no seizures during the last year, and 80% used antiepileptic drugs (AEDs). On six of eight SF-36 scales, patients with epilepsy had lower scores than the normal reference population, and they were less likely to be married, employed, or a full-time student. Seizure-free patients with epilepsy had scores close to those of the normal reference population, with higher scores on the social functioning and mental health scales and lower on the role--emotional scale. There were no differences in health status scores between seizure-free patients using and not using AEDs.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results confirm that patients with well-regulated epilepsy have a health status at the level of a general reference population.
Stavem
K
K
HELTEF: Foundation for Health Services Research, Department of Medicine, Central Hospital of Akershus, Nordbyhagen, Norway. knut.stavem@klinmed.uio.no
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Kaasa
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D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain / Q000150:complications; D011597:Psychomotor Performance; D011788:Quality of Life; D012494:Sampling Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D000927:Anticonvulsants