Original Research Articles
Employment status and epilepsy
Authors:
C. Arambepola ,
University of Colombo, LK
About C.
Lecturer in Community Medicine, Departmentof Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine
I. Wijesekera
National Hospital Sri Lanka, LK
About I.
Senior Consultant Neurologist, Institute of Neurology
Abstract
Objectives: To determine the influence of epilepsy, namely, nature of seizures, effects of anti-epileptic drugs and social stigma on the employment status of patients with epilepsy.
Methods: A hospital clinic based cross sectional study was conducted over a period of one month among 217 non schooling adult patients with epilepsy attending the Neurology clinic, NHSL. An interviewer-administered questionnaire that derived information on disease characteristics and employment status was used.
Results: Nearly 37% of the patients was currently employed. Of the unemployed, 45% were previously employed and 55% were never employed. Under-employment was not reflected among the employed patients. Although performance at work revealed a gender difference (p<0.01), absenteeism related to epilepsy did not. Age of onset, duration and stigma of epilepsy were significantly related to current employment status (p<0.01). Stigma was the only disease characteristic that was associated with poor performance at work (p<0.01) and was the commonest reason for losing jobs and for remaining unemployed, Seizure severity was associated only with absenteeism. Antiepileptic-drug effects did not associate with any variable considered (p>0.5). Although educational status was poor among the unemployed (p<0.01), it could not be associated with early age of onset of epilepsy (p>0.05).
Conclusions: More than one facet of the employment status was affected by epilepsy in the majority of patients, stigma being the major contributor.
How to Cite:
Arambepola, C. and Wijesekera, I., 2003. Employment status and epilepsy. Journal of the College of Community Physicians of Sri Lanka, 8(1), pp.32–37. DOI: http://doi.org/10.4038/jccpsl.v8i1.8304
Published on
30 Dec 2003.
Peer Reviewed
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