Health-related quality of life and associated factors among adult patients with epilepsy in public hospitals of Wolaita zone, southern Ethiopia. An embedded mixed method study

Alemu, Afework; Dendir, Getahun; Gonfa, Almaz; Sisay, Yordanos; Tadesse, Takele; Kerbo, Amene Abebe

doi:10.1016/j.yebeh.2023.109316

Cited by 5 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 57 publications

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“…Beyond individual-level interventions, societal support is of paramount importance, particularly in rural areas of China where epilepsy stigmatization is more pronounced ( 42 ). Consequently, endeavors to establish affirmative awareness about epilepsy in society are pivotal for fostering comprehension and acceptance of epilepsy patients ( 52 ). Furthermore, the backing of family and friends significantly impacted the psychological well-being of epilepsy patients, as their emotional support and encouragement played a pivotal role in patients’ recovery and heightened self-assurance ( 53 ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fear of disease in patients with epilepsy – a network analysis

Yin,

Niu,

et al. 2024

Front. Neurol.

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BackgroundDisease-related fear among patients with epilepsy has significantly impacted their quality of life. The Disease-Related Fear Scale (D-RFS), comprising three dimensions, serves as a relatively well-established tool for assessing fear in these patients. However, certain problems potentially exist within the D-RFS’s attribution of items, and its internal structure is still unclear. To establish an appropriate dimensional structure and gain deeper comprehension of its internal structure—particularly its core variables—is vital for developing more effective interventions aimed at alleviating disease-related fear among patients with epilepsy.MethodsThis study employed a cross-sectional survey involving 609 patients with epilepsy. All participants underwent assessment using the Chinese version of the D-RFS. We used exploratory network analysis to discover a new structure and network analysis to investigate the interrelationships among fear symptom domains. In addition to the regularized partial correlation network, we also estimated the node and bridge centrality index to identify the importance of each item within the network. Finally, it was applied to analyze the differences in network analysis outcomes among epilepsy patients with different seizure frequencies.ResultsThe research findings indicate that nodes within the network of disease-related fear symptoms are interconnected, and there are no isolated nodes. Nodes within groups 3 and 4 present the strongest centrality. Additionally, a tight interconnection exists among fear symptoms within each group. Moreover, the frequency of epileptic episodes does not significantly impact the network structure.ConclusionIn this study, a new 5-dimension structure was constructed for D-RFS, and the fear of disease in patients with epilepsy has been conceptualized through a network perspective. The goal is to identify potential targets for relevant interventions and gain insights for future research.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fear of disease in patients with epilepsy – a network analysis

Yin,

Niu,

et al. 2024

Front. Neurol.

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“…For example, factors such as negative attitudes [14,15], minimal awareness [16,17], unsatisfactory to low knowledge toward epilepsy [18][19][20], and poor practices towards epileptic patients [21,22] contribute to low QL for PLWE and their families. Wider social environments, including community awareness, support systems, and societal attitudes towards epilepsy, significantly influence the psychological wellbeing and social interactions of PLWE [23][24][25]. Finally, environmental factors such as air quality, noise pollution, and urban vs. rural living conditions have been shown to affect the health of PLWE [26][27][28].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Shifting Behaviors and Attitudes of Socially Stigmatizing Illnesses to Improve Wellbeing: A Conceptual Framework for Epilepsy

Musekwa,

Makhado

2023

Challenges

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The attitudes and behaviors towards people living with neurological conditions, such as epilepsy, have major implications for the quality of life of affected individuals and for human progress more broadly. Epilepsy is a common neurological disorder often associated with misconceptions leading to discrimination, stigma, and burden for people living with epilepsy (PLWE) and their families. Addressing these negative factors and improving the quality of life has become a crucial area of research. This conceptual framework paper explores the potential of attitude and behavior change to enhance the quality of life for PLWE and their families. The study was conducted in rural Limpopo and Mpumalanga provinces (South Africa), employing an explanatory sequential mixed method approach. Participants included were PLWE (n = 163), their family members and caregivers (n = 519), healthcare practitioners (n = 102), and community members (n = 4290). The findings revealed significant knowledge, awareness, and behavior disparities among participants, with PLWE showing better consistency. Furthermore, the study highlighted the impact of consistency and balance in knowledge, awareness, and behavior on the overall quality of life for PLWE and their families. It is important to have intentional epilepsy education and accurate information sharing to influence attitudes, positive behavior, and improved quality of life for PLWE and their families. While the primary emphasis of this study lies in epilepsy, its implications may extend to other stigmatized and discrimination-prone illnesses, especially those affecting the brain. This highlights the significance of addressing societal attitudes toward such conditions as a measure of social progress.

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