title: Patient-reported outcome of pediatric epilepsy surgery: social inclusion or exclusion as young adults?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to examine the social relationships and participation in educational, vocational, and community life in young adults who had undergone epilepsy surgery during childhood or adolescence.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a retrospective, cross-sectional, case-controlled, and multisite design study. Findings were compared between young adults who had undergone epilepsy surgery and were seizure-free in the previous 12 months (n = 38), those who had undergone epilepsy surgery and were not seizure-free (n = 33), and a group of individuals with epilepsy who had not undergone surgery (n = 31).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The surgical seizure-free group had significantly better general social well-being than the other two groups. Specifically, these participants were employed for more months over the past year, were less likely to report that epilepsy had affected their employment, and were more likely to belong to at least one community organization. However, these participants were not any more likely to be involved in a relationship than those in the other two groups. In addition, there were no group differences in the reported number of friends or the frequency of visits with friends, or in what participants described as their principal activity (i.e., student, employed or unemployed).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There are a number of benefits to social functioning associated with having had epilepsy surgery and being seizure-free in the past year. Further research is recommended to increase our understanding of the mechanisms involved in the social and personal challenges that these individuals face.
authors.affiliation: School of Social Work, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: Lucyna M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Lach
authors.forename: Irene
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Elliott
authors.forename: Tiffany
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Giecko
authors.forename: Janet
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Olds
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Snyder
authors.forename: Lynn
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: McCleary
authors.forename: Sharon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Whiting
authors.forename: Alan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lowe
authors.forename: Jodie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Nimigon
authors.forename: Mary Lou
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Smith
mesh_terms: D001294:Attitude to Health; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D004651:Employment; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000523:psychology / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D011788:Quality of Life; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012917:Social Adjustment; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult