title: Employment in people with epilepsy from the perspectives of patients, neurologists, and the general population.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Finding and continuing employment are among the most important issues for patients with epilepsy (PWE). Earlier studies indicated overrepresentation of PWE in manual unskilled or semiskilled positions.
  
  
  METHODS
  The questionnaire-based study was carried out throughout Poland between February and March 2009. 995 PWE (18-65 yrs), 179 neurologists, and a representative sample of the Polish population over 15 yrs of age (1042) were included.
  
  
  RESULTS
  49% of PWE were employed. Patients with epilepsy most commonly work as service and sales workers, office workers, professionals, and technicians. 56% of Poles, 25% of patients, and 28% of neurologists believed that all PWE could work.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Almost 3/4 of PWE held non-manual positions. This contradicts the stereotype of unskilled professions being more suitable for PWE. Generally, Poles have a positive attitude towards employment of PWE, but the lack of knowledge about the condition makes them less prudent than neurologists and the PWE themselves.
authors.affiliation: Epilepsy Diagnostic and Therapeutic Center, Foundation of Epileptology, Warsaw, Poland. beata.m.zwolinska@gmail.com
authors.forename: Beata
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Majkowska-Zwolińska
authors.forename: Joanna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jędrzejczak
authors.forename: Krzysztof
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Owczarek
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001294:Attitude to Health; D004651:Employment; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009462:Neurology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D009790:Occupations / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011044:Poland / Q000453:epidemiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult