Effects of seizure severity and seizure freedom on the health-related quality of life of an African population of people with epilepsy.
OBJECTIVE
This study aimed at determining the effects of seizure severity and seizure freedom on health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of people with epilepsy (PWE) in the presence of perceived stigma in a sub-Saharan African culture.


METHODS
Health-related quality of life was assessed using QOLIE-31 in 93 consecutive adults (56 males and 37 females) with epilepsy. They were stratified into seizure-free, low-moderate seizure severity, and high seizure severity groups based on the seizure type and the number of seizures in the previous 6months. Other illness variables and sociodemographic variables were also obtained. A 3-item perceived stigma scale was administered. A modified QOLIE-31 (excluding the epilepsy-specific items) was given to 102 age- and sex-matched healthy controls.


RESULTS
There was moderate negative correlation between seizure severity and mean total HRQOL score as well as scores on the Seizure Worry (p=.000), Overall Quality of Life (p=.000), and Social Function (p=.001) subscales of QOLIE-31. Overall, the healthy control subjects had a higher mean HRQOL score compared with the PWE put together (71.0+11.1 vs 64.2±13.6, p=.001). However, there was no difference in the mean HRQOL score between the seizure-free individuals and the healthy controls (p=.270). Seizure severity was associated with HRQOL independent of perceived stigma on a multiple regression analysis.


CONCLUSIONS
This study provides evidence that seizure severity relates to health-related quality of life in an inverse, graded manner and independent of perceived stigma. Seizure-free people with epilepsy can have quality of life comparable with healthy individuals.
Neurology Unit, Medicine Department, Faculty of Clinical Sciences, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria. Electronic address: bimbofawale@yahoo.com.
Michael B
MB
Fawale
Neurology Unit, Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria. Electronic address: mayowaowolabi@yahoo.com.
Mayowa O
MO
Owolabi
Neurology Unit, Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria. Electronic address: aogunniyi53@yahoo.com.
Adesola
A
Ogunniyi
D000328:Adult; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D005610:Freedom; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D012640:Seizures / Q000208:ethnology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D057545:Social Stigma; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
African; Epilepsy; Perceived stigma; Quality of life; Seizure freedom; Seizure severity