Jitin Bajaj1, Manjari Tripathi2, Rekha Dwivedi2, Savita Sapra3, Sheffali Gulati3, Ajay Garg4, Madhavi Tripathi5, Chandra S Bal5, Sarat P Chandra6. 1. Department of Neurosurgery, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India. 2. Department of Neurology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India. 3. Department of Pediatrics, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India. 4. Department of Neuroradiology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India. 5. Department of Nuclear Medicine, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India. 6. Department of Neurosurgery, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India. Electronic address: saratpchandra3@gmail.com.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Epilepsy has several comorbidities and associated stigma. Stigma associated with epilepsy is well known and prevalent worldwide. Surgical treatment is an established treatment for drug refractory epilepsy. Following surgery in children, it is possible that the stigma may reduce, but such an effect has not been studied earlier. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Analysis of prospectively collected data was performed for pediatric patients at a single tertiary center for treating epilepsy. Child stigma scale, as described by Austin et al., was used to evaluate stigma both pre- and postoperatively. Analysis was done using Paired t test. RESULTS: In this study, following surgery, there was significant reduction of stigma (P<0.001). This was proportional to the reduction in seizures, though there were 9 (30%) patients, who due to persistent neurodisability did not have any reduction of stigma despite having good seizure outcome. CONCLUSION: Surgery in drug-resistant epilepsy helps in reducing stigma. Seizure reduction is probably not the only factor responsible for a change in stigma outcome.
INTRODUCTION:Epilepsy has several comorbidities and associated stigma. Stigma associated with epilepsy is well known and prevalent worldwide. Surgical treatment is an established treatment for drug refractory epilepsy. Following surgery in children, it is possible that the stigma may reduce, but such an effect has not been studied earlier. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Analysis of prospectively collected data was performed for pediatric patients at a single tertiary center for treating epilepsy. Child stigma scale, as described by Austin et al., was used to evaluate stigma both pre- and postoperatively. Analysis was done using Paired t test. RESULTS: In this study, following surgery, there was significant reduction of stigma (P<0.001). This was proportional to the reduction in seizures, though there were 9 (30%) patients, who due to persistent neurodisability did not have any reduction of stigma despite having good seizure outcome. CONCLUSION: Surgery in drug-resistant epilepsy helps in reducing stigma. Seizure reduction is probably not the only factor responsible for a change in stigma outcome.
Authors: Carlo Efisio Marras; Gabriella Colicchio; Luca De Palma; Alessandro De Benedictis; Giancarlo Di Gennaro; Marilou Cavaliere; Elisabetta Cesaroni; Alessandro Consales; Sofia Asioli; Massimo Caulo; Flavio Villani; Nelia Zamponi Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2020-08-24 Impact factor: 3.390