The Egyptian Journal of Neurology, Psychiatry and Neurosurgery (Jun 2022)

Prevalence and determinants of anxiety in patients with epilepsy during COVID-19 pandemic

  • Mohammad Gamal Sehlo,
  • Wafaa Samir Mohamed,
  • Usama Mahmoud Youssef,
  • Shrouk Esam Lotfi,
  • Ghada Mohamed Salah El-deen

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s41983-022-00513-6
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 58, no. 1
pp. 1 – 7

Abstract

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Abstract Background Epilepsy is one of the most frequent and serious brain disorders. The nature of the disorder and the unpredictability of seizures usually puts patients in a state of apprehension and anticipation, which creates a continuous condition of anxiety. COVID-19 pandemic has created a state of generalized anxiety all over the world. It is expected that patients with epilepsy (PWE) will suffer from more anxiety during the pandemic. This cross-sectional study was applied on 290 PWE. Data were collected by personal interview with each patient using GAD-7 scale for diagnosing anxiety and assessing its severity. We aimed to assess the prevalence of anxiety and to assess its risk factors in PWE during COVID-19 pandemic. Results We found that 52.4% of PWE suffered from anxiety. Not working, low financial status, fear of infection and death by COVID-19, fear of job loss, had job changes during pandemic, increased seizures rate during pandemic, increased ER visits, and lack of drug adherence during the pandemic, are significantly associated with increased risk of anxiety. Conclusions COVID-19 pandemic has a serious effect on the psychological and the physical wellbeing of PWE. There was an increased rate of anxiety during COVID-19 pandemic in PWE with its subsequent burden on those patients. So, these patients are in a high need of care and support during the pandemic.

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