Quality of Life and the Perceived Impact of Epilepsy in Children and Adolescents in the Eastern Province of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Objectives This cross-sectional study aimed to assess the perceived impact of epilepsy on children and adolescents and analyze its aspects. Materials and methods The study included patients with epilepsy aged between and two and 19 years old in three major hospitals in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. Data were collected through an online survey. Results The mean score percentage of the quality of life (QOL) assessment was 65.6. This study showed better mean score QOL percentages in males (67), adolescents (65), patients with higher family income and socioeconomic status (64), and those living in Al Jubail (71). QOL was negatively associated with seizure frequency, the number of fears, problems, and concerns, and longer treatment duration. The most common concerns in children and adolescents with epilepsy are having/starting a relationship with others and what people at school will think if they have a seizure. The most common problems were lack of concentration and feeling short-tempered or grumpy. Continuing with education was the most common fear for the future. The most common concern of parents/caregivers was their ability to keep up with schoolwork. The QOL of participants who preferred to keep their epilepsy a secret (69) and those who used magazines and books (71) as one of the sources of information was better than that of those who did not. Conclusion Better QOL was found in males, adolescents, patients with higher family income, those living in Al Jubail, who preferred to keep their epilepsy a secret, and those who used magazines and books as sources of information. However, the QOL was negatively associated with seizure frequency, the number of fears, problems, and concerns that the patients/caregivers had, and longer treatment duration.

Status Epilepticus in Pediatric Patients in Saudi Arabia: A Systematic Review

“…It has been shown that the underlying cause of SE is a highly important predictor of the outcome after SE; hence, there is a need for high-quality long-term data looking at QoL, neuroimaging, the use of continuous infusions, and the cognitive and behavioral outcomes of children who suffer SE. Similar findings were found in a second questionnaire by Horaib, Wesal, and colleagues [30]. More frequent seizures, the number of fears, concerns, and worries that patients and caregivers had, and prolonged treatment duration all had a negative impact on quality of life, while better family states and being male had a positive impact.…”

“…(2021) [30] A cross sectional study conducted with Children (aged two to nine) and teenagers (aged 10 to 19) who had been diagnosed with epilepsy and were being monitored in epilepsy clinics were given an online questionnaire. The questionnaires were made to collect data on the following important topics: demographic data, seizure incidence, seizure medication, and length of treatment.…”

“…Epilepsy occurs in infants aged 1 to 12 months at a prevalence of 144 per 100,000 person-years worldwide, and in children aged 0 to 5, it occurs at a rate of 58 per 100,000 (1)(2)(3)(4)(5)(6)(7)(8)(9)(10). Saudi Arabia has few studies on the subject, and the majority of available data was provided by hospitals, which may not accurately reflect the true prevalence of the condition.…”

“…Major neurological disorders are the most prevalent chronic pediatric illnesses in Saudi Arabia, where the incidence rate of epilepsy is 8.8 per 10000, with men being more afflicted. The quality of life (QOL) of many epilepsy patients is impacted by concurrent physical or mental health conditions [10,11].…”

The Quality of Life of Children with Epilepsy and the Impact of the Disease on the Family Functioning

“…Quality of life (QoL) depends on numerous factors. In the case of children with epilepsy, some of those factors are directly linked to frequent seizures and adverse effects of the medication taken [ 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 ]. QoL is a complex and multidimensional construct that represents the general well-being of an individual by outlining individual positive and negative aspects of life [ 14 ].…”