Focal epilepsy in the state of alagoas, Brazil:

causes and psychosocial impact

Epilepsia focal no Estado de Alagoas,  Brasil: causas e impacto psicossocial

Cleberson  Borges Tenorio  Galdino1,  Isabel Camila  Gonzaga Amorim2,   Letícia Januzi de  Almeida  Rocha3, Luciane de Lima Moura4, Daniel Leite Góes Gitaí5, Fernando Tenório Gameleira6, Lívia Leite Góes Gitaí7

ABSTRACT

Introduction: epilepsy is a common neurological disorder in developing countries, where its etiology is largely influenced by environmental irritants and the psychosocial consequences  may be greater. The aim is to describe the clinical and  psychosocial aspects  of patients with focal epilepsy treated at a public hospital in the State of Alagoas.  method: a cross-sectional study involving 277 individuals with focal epilepsy, aged 12-82 years-old, attending University Hospital from Federal University of Alagoas. Subjects underwent a semi-structured interview, covering clinical and psychosocial data,  and complementary exams. results: patients had a mean age  of 32.2 years, 44.9%  were illiterate or had not attended  the first four years of primary education and 92.9%  of patients had  a monthly family income below  150 dollars per person.  Among 37.5%  of patients with epilepsy due to structural cause,  perinatal  injury was  related  to 27.9%  of the cases.  About 76.8%  of adult patients reported some negative impact of epilepsy on their lives, wich was  related  to female gender  and  low family income. conclusion: patients have low education and family income a high frequency of epilepsy attributed to perinatal injury and of negative psychosocial impact of epilepsy in life.