Quality of life in patients with epilepsy in India

BACKGROUND: People with epilepsy have impairment in their quality of life (QOL) due to effect of epilepsy on various aspects of their life and the medication effects. Systematic studies on QOL in epilepsy from developing countries are sparse. OBJECTIVES: To assess the QOL in people with epilepsy and to evaluate various factors affecting the QOL in them. MATERIALS AND METHODS: People with generalized and partial epilepsy on medication aged more than 18 years were included in the study. The QOL was assessed with QOLIE-89 instrument. Statistical significance was evaluated by the use of Chi-square test and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). RESULTS: Sixty people with epilepsy were studied among whom the older patients had lower overall QOL scores compared to younger patients. Female patients had lower scores compared to males. Married people had lower quality of health score. Patients with simple partial seizures had lowest overall QOL mean score. There was reduction in the overall QOLIE scores with increasing duration of the epilepsy. Patients who had their last seizure within 10 months prior to evaluation had lower mean overall scores. CONCLUSION: QOL was impaired in people with epilepsy with increased impairment in women, older patients, simple partial seizures, and those with recent seizure.