Epilepsy and Quality of Life in the Shadow of Stigmatization

Abstract

Aim: Because of its chronic nature, epilepsy is a complex disease with psychosocial effects. This study aimed to investigate the stigma and quality of life of individuals with epilepsy. Methods: This study was conducted between January 2022 and September 2022 in the epilepsy outpatient clinic of a university hospital located on the Anatolian side of Istanbul. In this descriptive and cross-sectional study, participants completed the Stigma Scale for Epilepsy (SSE), the Quality of Life in Epilepsy Inventory-10 (QOLIE-10), and a sociodemographic data form. Results: The study included 130 patients (83 women and 47 men) with epilepsy. 56.2% of the participants had a medium stigmatization scores and 14.6% had a high stigmatization scores. It was determined that stigmatization was associated with age, education level, employment, and income. Total score of (SSE); participants aged 51 and over, primary school graduates, never worked, and receiving minimum wage were higher. The total SSE score did not differ according to gender, marital status, people with whom they lived together, date of diagnosis, duration of treatment, or date of the last seizure. Participants who had a seizure in the previous year without income had a lower quality-of-life score. It was determined that the QOLIE-10 scores did not differ in terms of gender, age, marital status, employment, education level, people they lived with, date of diagnosis, duration of treatment, and type of epilepsy. Conclusion: The participants with high levels of stigma experienced a significant reduction in quality of life compared with the other groups. Therefore, the potential need for increased support and social rehabilitation for individuals affected by stigmatization should not ignored.

Keywords

• epilepsy
• stigma
• quality of life
• cross-sectional study