Social adaptation and quality of life in reproductive-aged women with epilepsy

Abstract

The quality-of-life indicators are integral characteristics of treatment and diagnostic measures in modern epileptology.Objective: to assess the social adaptation and quality of life in reproductive-aged women with epilepsy.Subjects and methods. A sociological survey using the Quality of Life Satisfaction questionnaire and the European Quality of Life-5 Dimensions (EQ-5D) was carried out in 352 women living in the Krasnoyarsk Territory.Results. At the time of the study, 21.3% of the patients were unemployed. Disability related to epilepsy was in 13.1% of women, mainly in those with cryptogenic (22.3%) and symptomatic (14.4%) epilepsy. Most of the women were unsatisfied with their job activity (55.1%), financial status (64.6%), and physical health (65.3%). Mainly the patients with symptomatic epilepsy reported dissatisfaction with their psychological status. The patients had employment problems (12.5%), inability to work in their specialty (12.5%) and to get the desired specialty (10.3%), and labor maladaptation (8.8%). There was a preponderance of women with higher education (40.3%) and 21.3% continued their studies. Warm family relations and help from relatives and friends (65.4%), hope for their recovery (50.7%), contacts with their friends (30.1%), and plans for future (34.6%) were important for the women to control the disease.Conclusions. The findings suggest that family, personal, maternity problems are more important causes of social maladaptation in epileptic women.

Keywords

• epilepsy
• quality of life
• social problems
• work
• women
• reproductive age