title: Standards for epidemiologic studies and surveillance of epilepsy.
abstract: Worldwide, about 65 million people are estimated to have epilepsy. Epidemiologic studies are necessary to define the full public health burden of epilepsy; to set public health and health care priorities; to provide information needed for prevention, early detection, and treatment; to identify education and service needs; and to promote effective health care and support programs for people with epilepsy. However, different definitions and epidemiologic methods complicate the tasks of these studies and their interpretations and comparisons. The purpose of this document is to promote consistency in definitions and methods in an effort to enhance future population-based epidemiologic studies, facilitate comparison between populations, and encourage the collection of data useful for the promotion of public health. We discuss: (1) conceptual and operational definitions of epilepsy, (2) data resources and recommended data elements, and (3) methods and analyses appropriate for epidemiologic studies or the surveillance of epilepsy. Variations in these are considered, taking into account differing resource availability and needs among countries and differing purposes among studies.
authors: CDC National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Atlanta, Georgia, USA. dxt9@cdc.gov
authors: David J
authors: DJ
authors: Thurman
authors: Ettore
authors: E
authors: Beghi
authors: Charles E
authors: CE
authors: Begley
authors: Anne T
authors: AT
authors: Berg
authors: Jeffrey R
authors: JR
authors: Buchhalter
authors: Ding
authors: D
authors: Ding
authors: Dale C
authors: DC
authors: Hesdorffer
authors: W Allen
authors: WA
authors: Hauser
authors: Lewis
authors: L
authors: Kazis
authors: Rosemarie
authors: R
authors: Kobau
authors: Barbara
authors: B
authors: Kroner
authors: David
authors: D
authors: Labiner
authors: Kore
authors: K
authors: Liow
authors: Giancarlo
authors: G
authors: Logroscino
authors: Marco T
authors: MT
authors: Medina
authors: Charles R
authors: CR
authors: Newton
authors: Karen
authors: K
authors: Parko
authors: Angelia
authors: A
authors: Paschal
authors: Pierre-Marie
authors: PM
authors: Preux
authors: Josemir W
authors: JW
authors: Sander
authors: Anbesaw
authors: A
authors: Selassie
authors: William
authors: W
authors: Theodore
authors: Torbjörn
authors: T
authors: Tomson
authors: Samuel
authors: S
authors: Wiebe
mesh_terms: D017281:Cost of Illness; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D011159:Population Surveillance / Q000379:methods*; D011634:Public Health / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards*; D011788:Quality of Life; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013045:Species Specificity