title: The social and economic impacts of epilepsy on women in Nigeria.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Persons with epilepsy in sub-Saharan Africa experience stigma and social marginalization. There is paucity of data on the social and economic impacts of epilepsy in these patients and in particular, groups like women. We sought to determine the social and economic impacts of epilepsy on Nigerian women and especially how it affects their treatment and outcomes.
  
  
  METHODS
  We carried out a cross-sectional survey of 63 women with epilepsy (WWE) and 69 controls matched for age, social status and site of care. A structured questionnaire was used to document information on demographic characteristics, education, employment status, economic status, health care use, personal safety and perceived stigma. The data were collated and analyzed with SPSS version 15.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Unemployment, fewer years of formal education, lower marriage rates and higher stigma scores were more frequent among WWE than controls. Physical and sexual abuse with transactional sex was also reported among WWE. We also noted poorer environmental and housing conditions and lower mean personal and household incomes among WWE compared to the control group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  WWE in this sample from Nigeria have worse social and economic status when compared with women with other non-stigmatized chronic medical conditions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals Complex, Ile-Ife, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Morenikeji A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Komolafe
authors.forename: Taofiki A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Sunmonu
authors.forename: Olusegun T
authors.initials: OT
authors.lastname: Afolabi
authors.forename: Edward O
authors.initials: EO
authors.lastname: Komolafe
authors.forename: Festus O
authors.initials: FO
authors.lastname: Fabusiwa
authors.forename: Nora
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Groce
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kett
authors.forename: Jimoh O
authors.initials: JO
authors.lastname: Disu
authors.forename: John K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Ajiboye
authors.forename: Stephen O
authors.initials: SO
authors.lastname: Olaniyan
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004651:Employment; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009549:Nigeria / Q000453:epidemiology; D012923:Social Class; D057545:Social Stigma; D014478:Unemployment; D055815:Young Adult