title: Gender differences in risk-taking behaviour in youth with epilepsy: a Norwegian population-based study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  It is well known that behavioural problems and psychiatric disorders occur with greater prevalence in children and adolescents with epilepsy. Youth with epilepsy (YWE) may also be more susceptible to risk-taking behaviour, but this has seldom been studied. The aim of this study was to explore risk-taking behaviour in YWE.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this study, 19,995 young people (age range: 13-19 years) participated and completed an extensive questionnaire, including The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire self-report. A variable, risk-taking behaviour, was identified, including daily consumption of alcohol, substance abuse or having committed a criminal offence such as being in a fight with a weapon, committing a burglary or using threats to obtain money.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Two hundred and forty-seven youths reported currently having, or having had, epilepsy (lifetime prevalence: 1.2%). Of these, 8.3% reported daily alcohol consumption (1.0% in controls; P<0.001), 12.4% had tried illegal substances (5.5% of controls; P<0.001), and 19.7% had committed criminal offences (8.5% in controls; P<0.001). A gender difference was found: girls with epilepsy did not exhibit risk-taking behaviour more frequently than controls, but having epilepsy was a risk factor for such behaviour in boys (OR: 3.2).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Boys with epilepsy exhibit risk-taking behaviour more frequently than controls. Other risk factors for this behaviour were living with a single parent, low family income and psychiatric symptoms. This behavioural association should be addressed as it probably contributes to the negative social outcomes that frequently occur in the adult epilepsy population.
authors.affiliation: Department of Children and Youth, National Centre for Epilepsy, Division for Surgery and Clinical Neuroscience, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway. kristina@ous-hf.no
authors.forename: K Å
authors.initials: KÅ
authors.lastname: Alfstad
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Clench-Aas
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Van Roy
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mowinckel
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gjerstad
authors.forename: M I
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Lossius
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000523:psychology; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009664:Norway; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014754:Violence / Q000523:psychology; D055815:Young Adult