title: Inverse relationship between stigma and quality of life in India: is epilepsy a disabling neurological condition?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Stigma associated with epilepsy has negative effects on psychosocial outcomes, affecting quality of life (QOL) and increasing disease burden in persons with epilepsy (PWEs). The aim of our study was to measure the impact of stigma on the QOL of PWEs and the prevalence of neurological disability due to stigmatized epilepsy.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective observational study with a sample of 208 PWEs was conducted. Neuropsychological Tests used were the Indian Disability Evaluation Assessment Scale (IDEAS) to measure disability, the Dysfunctional Analysis Questionnaire (DAQ) to measure QOL, and the Stigma Scale for Epilepsy (SSE) to assess stigma.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Spearman correlation was calculated, and stigma (SSE) was highly significant with QOL (DAQ) (0.019) and disability due to stigmatized epilepsy (IDEAS) (0.011).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present study supports the global perception of stigma associated with epilepsy and its negative impact on their overall QOL and its contribution to the escalation of the disease burden.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Neuropsychology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Ashima
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nehra
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Sweta
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Singla
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Neuropsychology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Swati
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bajpai
authors.affiliation: Centre of Excellence for Epilepsy, Department of Biotechnology, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Shrividhya
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Malviya
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Vasantha
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Padma
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India. Electronic address: manjari.tripathi1@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Manjari
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tripathi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D006233:Persons with Disabilities / Q000523:psychology*; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D057545:Social Stigma; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Disability; Epilepsy; Neuropsychology; Psychosocial outcome; QOL; Stigma