EPILEPSY PATIENTS - HEALTH-STATUS AND MEDICAL CONSUMPTION

Objective: To study the health status and medical consumption of outpa tients with active epilepsy in comparison with the general population. Design: Descriptive population study (multi-stage random sample). Set ting: Structured questionnaire. Patients: Thirty-nine epilepsy patient s compared with a general population of 12,975. Results: Epilepsy pati ents revealed poorer health, a higher mean complaint score (5.3 versus 3.7, P < 0.05), a higher score on the General Health Questionnaire (P < 0.05), a somewhat higher score on the biological problem list (BIOP RO) (1.8 versus 1.4, P > 0.05), less active sports engagement (16% ver sus 39%, P < 0.01), more fatigue (46 vs 29%, P < 0.05), dizziness (33 vs 10%, P < 0.01), nervousness (28 vs 10%, P > 0.05), sleep disturbanc e (23 vs 15%, P > 0.05) and excitability (33 vs 15%, P < 0.01) when co mpared with the general population. The BIOPRO showed problems in epil epsy patients on specific items related to self-confidence (P < 0.001) . Epileptic patients do not show more absence due to illness, from wor k, school or at home (15 vs 18%, P > 0.05) and/or more problems at wor k or in the family when compared with the general population. Almost h alf of epilepsy patients had consulted a specialist in the past 2 mont hs (46 vs 23% of the general population, P < 0.001). Epilepsy patients consulted the family physician slightly more often than other respond ers (3.0 versus 2.3, P > 0.05) and contacted the family physician's as sistant considerably more often (2.3 versus 0.7, P < 0.001). One-third of epilepsy patients consulted an alternative healer in the past 5 ye ars versus 14%; in the general population (P < 0.001). Conclusions: Th e study shows an excess of psychosocial problems and medical consumpti on in epilepsy patients, but not more absence from work or problems at work or in the family. Further development of a quality of life instr ument specific to epilepsy is advised.