Burden of Epilepsy: The Ontario Health Survey

Abstract

Background: Few data exist on the frequency and burden of epilepsy in Canada and on the impact of self-reported epilepsy in the general population. We assess the frequency, general health, psychosocial function, and health care resource use among self-identified epileptic persons in the general population. Method: The 1990 Ontario Health Survey is an omnibus, extensive health survey of 61,239 subjects representing the Ontario population. Self-reported epileptic subjects are compared with three groups, ie., those with ≥1 other chronic illnesses, the general population, and those with no health problems. Results: The point prevalence of self-reported epilepsy was 5.8 per 1,000 population, a figure similar to that of active epilepsy in other studies. Quality of life, family function and social support were worse in epileptic than in other chronically ill subjects. Similarly, the epilepsy population had more disability days and limitations in activities, and lower annual income than all other groups, including the chronically ill. Accidents were no more common among epileptic subjects than among controls. Epileptic persons were high users of health care resources, including hospitalization, emergency room, psychological/social work, nursing services and telephone contact with health professionals. Barriers to health care were experienced infrequently. Small area variations in health status and care are explored. Conclusions:The health profile of self-reported epileptic subjects is similar to that obtained in studies involving defined epilepsy patients. In the general population, self-identification as having epilepsy carries a significant burden of illness, reflected in poorer health, psychosocial function, and quality of life, and higher health care resource use.

Disparities in surgery among patients with intractable epilepsy in a universal health system

“…This group of patients produces a high cost to the health system. 29 Furthermore, there is a high percentage of death among middle-aged patients with medically intractable epilepsy; in this study, we could not reliably determine the cause of death. But the proportion of deaths among those with medically intractable epilepsy was substantially higher than in matched controls from the community.…”

A Review on Management of Epilepsy Complications in Health Care Practice

“…[49] The can altered when these areas of the brain are injured. [51] The human brain is the most complex organ in the body and composed of 50 to 100 billion neurons. The brain is divided into four sections, known as lobes.…”

Quality of Life Issues in Epilepsy

“…Laws prohibiting marriage in both the UK (until 1970) and America (1956) have only been revoked in the past sixty years [23][24] and more recently over a third of PWE were refused one or more types of insurance in the UK [25]. Cross culturally the impact of stigma on PWE has caused them to be excluded from important social roles, under achieve in school, to find it more difficult to gain employment, have intimate relationships or maintain family relations [1,21,[26][27][28]. Consequently negative attitudes and lack of family support render the individual as being more vulnerable to psychosocial difficulties [2].…”