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Epilepsy is the world's most common and most serious chronic neurological disease affecting near 50 million people. Epilepsy has a well-recognized stigma which is defined by Link and Phalen as a status which exists when elements of labeling, stereotyping, separation, status loss, and discrimination occur together in a power situation that allows them to unfold. Stigma has a major contribution to the reduction of quality of life in people with epilepsy. Objectives:The purpose of this study was to determine the types of stigma types, frequency, its association with demographical factors, and the coping ability in PWE.Methods: Health facility-based case-series analytical study was conducted on 80 patients with epilepsy aged from 8-70 years attending Dr. Abbashar Hussein's charity clinic in Om-Durman city. Verbal consent was obtained from the patients and a standardized questionnaire was used for the interview of the patients. Assistance was occasionally asked from their relative. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 16.Results: 16.3% were found to have a positive felt stigma score. Nearly half of PWE had courtesy stigma, also coaching stigma affected half of PWE. One fifth of PWE had poor coping score. Age below forty was found to be a determinant factor for the coping of people with epilepsy as well as courtesy stigma. Frequency of seizures of more than 3 per month reduced coping score of PWE. Conclusion:The results suggest the great need for psychological counseling for high risk groups of PWE.

Background: Epilepsy is a common disease with economic impact in form of frequent clinical visits, investigations and management. Objective: To estimate the direct and part of the indirect costs of epilepsy. Design and methods: The study was performed on a case series of medically treated Sudanese patients with epilepsy in a charity clinic. Data on clinical characteristics, utilization of medical services, and costs were collected from 38 patients using a standardized pre-tested format. The patients' approval was obtained as necessary. Results: Direct medical care costs was (2,395 Sudanese Pounds "SDG", 417 American Dollars "USD") per year per patient, of which antiepileptic drugs was the major component (1,587 SDG, 276 USD). Other costs are medical consultations and hospitalization charges (SDG 148, 26 USD), investigations cost (146 SDG, 25 USD), and cost of travel to clinics (514 SDG, 90 USD). Nonmedical direct cost -in form of traditional healers' visits were reported by 13.5% of the patients and estimated to be (1,422 SDG, 251 USD) per patient per year. The indirect cost was estimated for co-patients transportation, which is reported by patients who resides outside the state, making 7.9% of patients, and estimated to be (1,773 SDG, 308USD) per co-patient per year. The overall mean annual cost for epilepsy per patient in our clinic was approximately (2,724 SDG, 474 USD). Conclusion:The economic burden on epilepsy patients is heavy, and the contributors to the cost in Sudan have many similar features and some noteworthy differences with that of other countries.

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The aim of this study is to identify the factor(s) associated with memory disturbances among adult Sudanese epileptic patients. Methodology: A case series study of 47 consecutive epileptic patients was done in different neurologic and psychiatric outpatient clinics in Khartoum State. Patients in the post ictal phase and with memory disturbances from different etiologies were excluded. Patients were interviewed by three psychiatrists and trained doctors using the memory component of the mental state examination to objectively assess memory disturbances. The subjective component of memory was assessed by a validated questionnaire (The Questionnaire of Memory Efficacy). Anxiety and depression were assessed by the validated Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Patients consent was obtained as necessary. Results: Short and long term memory disturbances were objectively detected in 68.1% and 31.9% of patients respectively. There was no significant association in the mean long term memory score among patients with idiopathic generalized epilepsy and temporal lobe epilepsy (P = 0.72). However, there was a significant difference in the mean short term memory score among patients with temporal lobe epilepsy compared to idiopathic generalized epilepsy (p = 0.02). There was no significant association between the mean memory score and the duration of epilepsy, use of sodium valproate, carbamazepine and polytherapy (P = 0.34, 0.07, 0.43, 0.93) respectively. There was a correlation between memory disturbances and both anxiety and depression (R = 0.72, R 2 = 0.51, P = 0.00) and (R = 0.35, R 2 = 0.12, P = 0.025). Conclusion: Epilepsy causes significant memory disturbances that may be attributable to the disease itself and associated anxiety and depression.