PURPOSE: We undertook a systematic review of the evidence on disparities in epilepsy with a focus on North American data (Canada, United States, and the English-speaking Caribbean). METHODS: We identified and evaluated: access to and outcomes following medical and surgical treatment, disability, incidence and prevalence, and knowledge and attitudes. An exhaustive search (1965-2007) was done, including: (1) disparities by socioeconomic status (SES), race/ethnicity, age, or education of subgroups of the epilepsy population; or (2) disparities between people with epilepsy (PWE) and healthy people or with other chronic illnesses. RESULTS: From 1,455 citations, 278 eligible abstracts were identified and 44 articles were reviewed. Comparative research data were scarce in all areas. PWE have been shown to have lower education and employment status; among PWE, differences in access to surgery have been shown by racial/ethnic groups. Aboriginals, women, and children have been shown to differ in use of health resources. Poor compliance has been shown to be associated with lower SES, insufficient insurance, poor relationship with treating clinicians, and not having regular responsibilities. DISCUSSION: Comprehensive, comparative research on all aspects of disparities in epilepsy is needed to understand the causes of disparities and the development of any policies aimed at addressing health disparities and minimizing their impact.
PURPOSE: We undertook a systematic review of the evidence on disparities in epilepsy with a focus on North American data (Canada, United States, and the English-speaking Caribbean). METHODS: We identified and evaluated: access to and outcomes following medical and surgical treatment, disability, incidence and prevalence, and knowledge and attitudes. An exhaustive search (1965-2007) was done, including: (1) disparities by socioeconomic status (SES), race/ethnicity, age, or education of subgroups of the epilepsy population; or (2) disparities between people with epilepsy (PWE) and healthy people or with other chronic illnesses. RESULTS: From 1,455 citations, 278 eligible abstracts were identified and 44 articles were reviewed. Comparative research data were scarce in all areas. PWE have been shown to have lower education and employment status; among PWE, differences in access to surgery have been shown by racial/ethnic groups. Aboriginals, women, and children have been shown to differ in use of health resources. Poor compliance has been shown to be associated with lower SES, insufficient insurance, poor relationship with treating clinicians, and not having regular responsibilities. DISCUSSION: Comprehensive, comparative research on all aspects of disparities in epilepsy is needed to understand the causes of disparities and the development of any policies aimed at addressing health disparities and minimizing their impact.
Authors: Jorge G Burneo; Lorie Black; Roy Martin; Orrin Devinsky; Steve Pacia; Edward Faught; Blanca Vasquez; Robert C Knowlton; Daniel Luciano; Werner Doyle; Sohuel Najjar; Ruben I Kuzniecky Journal: Arch Neurol Date: 2006-08
Authors: Esma Cihan; Dale C Hesdorffer; Michael Brandsoy; Ling Li; David R Fowler; Jason K Graham; Michael Karlovich; Elizabeth J Donner; Orrin Devinsky; Daniel Friedman Journal: Neurology Date: 2020-04-23 Impact factor: 9.910
Authors: Nicholas K Schiltz; Siran M Koroukian; Mendel E Singer; Thomas E Love; Kitti Kaiboriboon Journal: Epilepsy Res Date: 2013-08-16 Impact factor: 3.045
Authors: Robin E McGee; Martha Sajatovic; Rakale C Quarells; Erika K Johnson; Hongyan Liu; Tanya M Spruill; Robert T Fraser; Mary Janevic; Cam Escoffery; Nancy J Thompson Journal: Epilepsy Behav Date: 2019-04-08 Impact factor: 2.937
Authors: Magdalena Szaflarski; Joseph D Wolfe; Joshua Gabriel S Tobias; Ismail Mohamed; Jerzy P Szaflarski Journal: Epilepsy Behav Date: 2020-04-12 Impact factor: 2.937
Authors: Maria Pisu; Joshua Richman; Kendra Piper; Roy Martin; Ellen Funkhouser; Chen Dai; Lucia Juarez; Jerzy P Szaflarski; Edward Faught Journal: Med Care Date: 2017-07 Impact factor: 2.983