Quality of life among people with epilepsy: A cross-sectional study from rural southern India.
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Date
2012-09
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Abstract
Background. Epilepsy can be associated with profound
physical, social and psychological consequences and it has an
impact on a person’s quality of life. We assessed the quality of
life and factors associated with a poor quality of life, among
adults with epilepsy in a rural block of Tamil Nadu.
Methods. We interviewed 91 epilepsy patients from 20
randomly selected villages using a structured questionnaire
including World Health Organization Quality of Life BREF
(WHOQOL-BREF), Patient Health Questionnaire 2 (PHQ-2)
and Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7 (GAD-7) questionnaires.
Results. The mean (SD) total score of the quality of life
scale was 61.49 (12.56). Those who were single, separated
or widowed (t statistic= –2.71, p<0.01), had not completed
primary education (t statistic=–2.308, p<0.05), not
currently going for work (t statistic=–2.748, p<0.01), had
seizure in the past one year (t statistic=–4.068, p<0.01),
had depressive symptoms (t statistic=–3.207, p<0.01),
had higher anxiety scores (t statistic=–2.727, p<0.01), had
low scores in the quality of life questionnaire. Multivariate
analysis showed increasing age, education less than grade V,
being unmarried, widowed or separated, lower per capita
income, a high anxiety score and experiencing a seizure
episode in the past one year to be significantly associated with
a low score in the WHOQOL-BREF questionnaire (adjusted
R2=0.378, SE 9.90).
Conclusion. The presence of anxiety, lack of primary
education, being single, separated or widowed, increasing age,
low per capita income and having a seizure episode in the past
year are associated with lower quality of life among people
with epilepsy.
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RAKESH P S, RAMESH R, RACHEL P, CHANDA R, SATISH N, MOHAN V R. Quality of life among people with epilepsy: A cross-sectional study from rural southern India. National Medical Journal of India. 2012 Sept-Oct ; 25(5): 261-264.