PURPOSE: The main aim of this door-to-door-study was to determine the prevalence, incidence, and clinical characteristics of epilepsy in northern Tanzania. METHODS: A total of 7,399 people were screened with a standardized questionnaire using "multistage random sampling." RESULTS: The prevalence rate of epilepsy was 11.2/1,000 [95% confidence interval (CI) 8.9-13.9/1,000] and the age-adjusted prevalence rate was 13.2/1,000. The prevalence of active epilepsy was 8.7/1,000 (95% CI 6.7-11/1,000). There was a preponderance of women. The average retrospective incidence including the last 5 years was 81.1/100,000 (95% CI 65-101/100,000). Fifty-four percent (45 of 83) of the people with epilepsy had generalized seizures without any identifiable cause; 71% (59 of 83) of the epilepsy patients had not visited health institutions prior to the study and 76% (63 of 83) had never received treatment. DISCUSSION: Our study shows that the prevalence and incidence of epilepsy in northern Tanzania are higher compared to developed countries and that the majority of people with epilepsy do not access treatment.
PURPOSE: The main aim of this door-to-door-study was to determine the prevalence, incidence, and clinical characteristics of epilepsy in northern Tanzania. METHODS: A total of 7,399 people were screened with a standardized questionnaire using "multistage random sampling." RESULTS: The prevalence rate of epilepsy was 11.2/1,000 [95% confidence interval (CI) 8.9-13.9/1,000] and the age-adjusted prevalence rate was 13.2/1,000. The prevalence of active epilepsy was 8.7/1,000 (95% CI 6.7-11/1,000). There was a preponderance of women. The average retrospective incidence including the last 5 years was 81.1/100,000 (95% CI 65-101/100,000). Fifty-four percent (45 of 83) of the people with epilepsy had generalized seizures without any identifiable cause; 71% (59 of 83) of the epilepsypatients had not visited health institutions prior to the study and 76% (63 of 83) had never received treatment. DISCUSSION: Our study shows that the prevalence and incidence of epilepsy in northern Tanzania are higher compared to developed countries and that the majority of people with epilepsy do not access treatment.
Authors: Ewan Hunter; Kathryn Burton; Ahmed Iqbal; Daniel Birchall; Margaret Jackson; Jane Rogathe; Ahmed Jusabani; William Gray; Eric Aris; Gathoni Kamuyu; Patricia P Wilkins; Charles R Newton; Richard Walker Journal: Trop Med Int Health Date: 2015-05-26 Impact factor: 2.622
Authors: Kathryn J Burton; Jane Rogathe; Roger Whittaker; Kshitij Mankad; Ewan Hunter; Matthew J Burton; Jim Todd; Brian G R Neville; Richard Walker; Charles R J C Newton Journal: Epilepsia Date: 2012-02-06 Impact factor: 5.864
Authors: Gilbert Munyoki; Tansy Edwards; Steve White; Thomas Kwasa; Eddie Chengo; Gilbert Kokwaro; Victor Mung'ala Odera; Josemir W Sander; Brian G Neville; Charles R Newton Journal: Epilepsia Date: 2010-12 Impact factor: 5.864
Authors: Dominik Stelzle; Veronika Schmidt; Bernard J Ngowi; William Matuja; Erich Schmutzhard; Andrea S Winkler Journal: eNeurologicalSci Date: 2021-06-15