title: Psychiatric Comorbidity, Social Aspects and Quality of Life in a Population-Based Cohort of Expecting Fathers with Epilepsy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate psychiatric disorders, adverse social aspects and quality of life in men with epilepsy during partner's pregnancy.
  
  
  METHODS
  We used data from the Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study, including 76,335 men with pregnant partners. Men with epilepsy were compared to men without epilepsy, and to men with non-neurological chronic diseases.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Expecting fathers in 658 pregnancies (mean age 31.8 years) reported a history of epilepsy, 36.9% using antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) at the onset of pregnancy. Symptoms of anxiety or depression were increased in epilepsy (7.0% and 3.9%, respectively) vs. non-epilepsy (4.6% and 2.5%, respectively, p = 0.004 and 0.023), and so were new onset symptoms of depression (2.0% vs. 1.0%, p < 0.031) and anxiety (4.3% vs. 2.3%, p = 0.023). Low self-esteem (2.5%) and low satisfaction with life (1.7%) were more frequent among fathers with epilepsy compared to fathers without epilepsy (1.3% and 0.7%, respectively, p = 0.01 and 0.010). Adverse social aspects and life events were associated with epilepsy vs. both reference groups. Self-reported diagnoses of ADHD (2.2%) and bipolar disorder (1.8%) were more common in epilepsy vs. non-epilepsy (0.4% and 0.3%, respectively, p = 0.002 and 0.003) and non-neurological chronic disorders (0.5% and 0.5%, respectively, p = 0.004 and 0.018). A screening tool for ADHD symptoms revealed a higher rate compared to self-reported ADHD (9.5% vs. 2.2%, p < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Expecting fathers with epilepsy are at high risk of depression and anxiety, adverse socioeconomic aspects, low self-esteem, and low satisfaction with life. Focus on mental health in fathers with epilepsy during and after pregnancy is important. The use of screening tools can be particularly useful to identify those at risk.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.
authors.forename: Simone Frizell
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Reiter
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.|Department of Neurology, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway.
authors.forename: Gyri
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Veiby
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.|Department of Neurology, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway.
authors.forename: Marte Helene
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Bjørk
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.|Department of Neurology, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway.
authors.forename: Bernt A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Engelsen
authors.affiliation: Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.|Medical Birth Registry of Norway, Division of Epidemiology, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Bergen, Norway.
authors.forename: Anne-Kjersti
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Daltveit
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.|Department of Neurology, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway.
authors.forename: Nils Erik
authors.initials: NE
authors.lastname: Gilhus
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology*; D005220:Fathers / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D009664:Norway; D011247:Pregnancy; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D057566:Self Report; D012920:Social Behavior Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants