title: Prevalence, incidence, and clinical characteristics of epilepsy--a community-based door-to-door study in northern Tanzania.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The main aim of this door-to-door-study was to determine the prevalence, incidence, and clinical characteristics of epilepsy in northern Tanzania.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 7,399 people were screened with a standardized questionnaire using "multistage random sampling."
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence rate of epilepsy was 11.2/1,000 [95% confidence interval (CI) 8.9-13.9/1,000] and the age-adjusted prevalence rate was 13.2/1,000. The prevalence of active epilepsy was 8.7/1,000 (95% CI 6.7-11/1,000). There was a preponderance of women. The average retrospective incidence including the last 5 years was 81.1/100,000 (95% CI 65-101/100,000). Fifty-four percent (45 of 83) of the people with epilepsy had generalized seizures without any identifiable cause; 71% (59 of 83) of the epilepsy patients had not visited health institutions prior to the study and 76% (63 of 83) had never received treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study shows that the prevalence and incidence of epilepsy in northern Tanzania are higher compared to developed countries and that the majority of people with epilepsy do not access treatment.
authors: Interdisciplinary Centre for Palliative Care and Department of Neurology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany. drawinkler@yahoo.com.au
authors: Andrea S
authors: AS
authors: Winkler
authors: Kerstin
authors: K
authors: Kerschbaumsteiner
authors: Brigitte
authors: B
authors: Stelzhammer
authors: Michael
authors: M
authors: Meindl
authors: John
authors: J
authors: Kaaya
authors: Erich
authors: E
authors: Schmutzhard
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017954:Africa South of the Sahara / Q000453:epidemiology; D017677:Age Distribution; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003625:Data Collection / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003906:Developing Countries / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012494:Sampling Studies; D012737:Sex Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013636:Tanzania / Q000453:epidemiology