title: Prevalence of pediatric epilepsy in low-income rural Midwestern counties.
abstract: Epilepsy is one of the most common disabling neurological disorders, but significant gaps exist in our knowledge about childhood epilepsy in rural populations. The present study assessed the prevalence of pediatric epilepsy in nine low-income rural counties in the Midwestern United States overall and by gender, age, etiology, seizure type, and syndrome. Multiple sources of case identification were used, including medical records, schools, community agencies, and family interviews. The prevalence of active epilepsy was 5.0/1000. Prevalence was 5.1/1000 in males and 5.0/1000 in females. Differences by age group and gender were not statistically significant. Future research should focus on methods of increasing study participation in rural communities, particularly those in which research studies are rare.
authors.affiliation: Wichita State University, Department of Public Health Sciences, 1845 Fairmount Box 43, Wichita, KS 67260-0043, USA.
authors.forename: Suzanne R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Hawley
authors.affiliation: University of Kansas School of Medicine-Wichita, Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, 1010 N. Kansas, Wichita, KS 67214, USA.
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ablah
authors.affiliation: Columbia University, 680 West 168 Street, New York, NY 10032, USA.
authors.forename: Dale
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hesdorffer
authors.affiliation: Virginia Commonwealth University, Department of Neurology, P.O. Box 980599, Richmond, VA 23298, USA.
authors.forename: John M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Pellock
authors.affiliation: University of Kansas Life Span Institute at Parsons, 2601 Gabriel, Parsons, KS 67357, USA.
authors.forename: David P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Lindeman
authors.affiliation: The University of Alabama, Department of Health Science, Box 870311, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487-0311, USA.
authors.forename: Angelia M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Paschal
authors.affiliation: Emory University, School of Medicine 201 Dowman Dr. Mailstop 1930-001-1AN, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA.
authors.forename: David J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Thurman
authors.affiliation: Columbia University, 680 West 168 Street, New York, NY 10032, USA.
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: University of Kansas Area Health Education Center, 1501 S. Joplin, Pittsburg, KS 66762, USA.
authors.forename: Mary Beth
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Warren
authors.affiliation: University of Kansas Area Health Education Center, 1501 S. Joplin, Pittsburg, KS 66762, USA.
authors.forename: Terri
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Schmitz
authors.affiliation: University of Kansas School of Medicine-Wichita, Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, 1010 N. Kansas, Wichita, KS 67214, USA.
authors.forename: Austin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rogers
authors.affiliation: P.O. Box 21322, Wichita, KS 67208, USA.
authors.forename: Theresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: St Romain
authors.affiliation: Columbia University, 680 West 168 Street, New York, NY 10032, USA. Electronic address: wahauser@optonline.net.
authors.forename: W Allen
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Hauser
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000191:economics* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007615:Kansas / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008499:Medical Records; D015146:Midwestern United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D011203:Poverty / Q000191:economics*; D015995:Prevalence; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012424:Rural Population
keywords: Epilepsy prevalence; Low-income populations; Pediatric epilepsy; Rural populations