title: The treatment gap of epilepsy in a rural district of Vietnam: a study from the EPIBAVI project.
abstract: We analyzed the treatment gap by interviewing 189 persons previously identified as having active epilepsy in a population-based epidemiological project in a rural district of Vietnam (EPIBAVI). Only 29 persons were on regular treatment with antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) at the time of the survey; treatment gap 84.7% [95% confidence interval (CI) 79.5-89.8%). The treatment gap was not associated with age, gender, education, income, or seizure control status, but was higher among those living single compared to those who were married (p < 0.05). The most common reason for not taking AEDs expressed by patients who never tried, as well as among those who tried but discontinued, AEDs was the perception that their seizures were too few to justify the trouble and costs associated with treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Hanoi Medical University, Hanoi, Vietnam. atuancmi@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Nguyen Anh
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Tuan
authors.forename: Torbjörn
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tomson
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Allebeck
authors.forename: Nguyen Thi Kim
authors.initials: NT
authors.lastname: Chuc
authors.forename: Le Quang
authors.initials: le Q
authors.lastname: Cuong
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001294:Attitude to Health; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006699:Home Care Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D017533:Marital Status / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008875:Middle Aged; D011159:Population Surveillance; D012424:Rural Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012847:Single Person / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016312:Treatment Refusal / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014744:Vietnam / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants