Psychosocial reactions to the epilepsy in an unselected group of patients with epilepsy under treatment in general hospitals

Objective: This study aimed at exploring the psychosocial reactions to epilepsy in a group of patients with uncomplicated well-controlled epilepsy. Method: One hundred and ninety-eight patients, referred by neurologists in a general hospital completed a questionnaire, consisting of simple open questions about the epilepsy and the drug treatment. Additionally, the patients were asked to complete the QOLIE-10-scale as well as a short questionnaire with questions about attitudes towards epilepsy and the treatment. Results: The overall psychosocial outcome was favourable in our study sample. About 50% of the patients have a paid job, have an average educational level and the majority (almost 70%) of the patients have a partner. This is not different from findings in the general population. In line with these social findings, the patients report in majority that the epilepsy is well integrated: as a rule the family and friend are informed and they feel that the epilepsy is accepted in society. Restrictions are limited to activities such as swimming. Consequently, quality of life (QOL) is high for the majority of the patients,with only 6% of the patients reporting a low QOL. Discussion: It is often claimed that people with epilepsy, as a group, have more psychosocial problems than control populations of healthy subjects. As this may be true for the average comparisons between patients with epilepsy and controls, we must take into account during clinical practice that these problems occur predominantly in the minority of patients with refractory epilepsy, Patients with well-controlled epilepsy do not show worrying reactions to the epilepsy. (C) 2002 BEA Trading Ltd. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.