title: Factors affecting quality of life in adults with epilepsy in Taiwan: A cross-sectional, correlational study.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to assess eight factors considered important for quality of life in persons with epilepsy in order to determine which of these components affect quality of life in adults with epilepsy in Taiwan.
  
  
  
  A cross-sectional, correlational study using structured questionnaires assessed 260 patients with epilepsy purposively sampled from a medical center in Northern Taiwan. Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) was evaluated with the Quality of Life in Epilepsy-31 (QOLIE-31) questionnaire. Data also included personal and health-related characteristics, knowledge of epilepsy, efficacy in the self-management of epilepsy, and social support.
  
  
  
  Scores for the QOLIE-31 were correlated with the following factors: (1) demographic characteristics of age, gender, and income; (2) sleep quality; (3) symptoms of anxiety and depression; (4) epilepsy-specific variables: seizure frequency; types, number, and frequency of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs); and adverse events of AEDs; and (5) social support. Stepwise regression analysis showed that seven factors were predictive for quality of life: anxiety, depression, adverse events of AEDs, social support, seizure frequency of at least once in three months, household income of NT$ 40,001-100,000, and male gender. These factors accounted for 58.2% of the variance of quality of life.
  
  
  
  Our study assessed multiple factors in an examination of relationships and predictive factors for quality of life in adults with epilepsy in Taiwan. Knowledge of these contributing factors can assist health-care providers when evaluating patients with epilepsy to help target interventions for improving quality of life.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, Chang Gung University of Science and Technology, Tao-Yuan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Hsiu-Fang
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Tao-Yuan, Taiwan. Electronic address: yftsai@mail.cgu.edu.tw.
authors.forename: Yun-Fang
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Taipei, Taiwan; Taiwan Epilepsy Association, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Mo-Song
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Hsi
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Taipei, Taiwan; Taiwan Epilepsy Association, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Jui-Chen
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001007:Anxiety / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012648:Self Care / Q000523:psychology; D012737:Sex Factors; D012944:Social Support; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D063189:Symptom Assessment; D013624:Taiwan; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants
keywords: Anxiety; Epilepsy; Quality of life; Seizure frequency; Social support