Abstract:
Background: Most of the studies on epilepsy in Kenya and indeed the sub-Saharan region of Africa mainly focus
on prevalence, psychiatric profile, and factors associated with increased seizure burden. This being the first Kenyan
and sub-Saharan African study assessing quality of life among people living with epilepsy, it will identify their
‘intangible’ needs and enable evidence-based intervention that would ultimately lead to a comprehensive
management and better outcome.
Methods:
Design: A cross-sectional comparative study, using the World Health Organization Quality of Life questionnaire, a
socio-demographic questionnaire, seizure burden and characteristics, drug and treatment profile questionnaire
and the Mini-Mental state examination, among PLWE and those accompanying them, herein referred to as th
normal healthy controls, attending the neurology clinic at Kenyatta National Hospital, Nairobi.
Setting and subjects: Study was carried out between October 2006 and February 2007 at the neurology clinic in
the hospital where three hundred consecutive subjects who satisfied the inclusion criteria and gave consent
were recruited.
Statistical tests used: Descriptive statistics were used to compute means, standard deviations as well as
frequencies. Significance of associations was tested using the Chi square test statistic (x2 ), an independent
samples t-test, analysis of variance (ANOVA) and a step-wise (forward) regression analysis. A p < 0.05 was
considered statistically significant.
Results: The mean quality of life among people living with epilepsy (49.90%) was significantly (p < 0.01) lower
than that of the normal controls (77.60%) accompanying them and significantly impaired as compared to the
hypothesized mean of 75 ±
2.5%. Factors significantly (p < 0.05) associated with impairment of quality of life in
those living with epilepsy were a low level of education, higher seizure burden, low annual income,
unemployment, unskilled employment, and living in a rural residence.
Conclusions: The mean quality of life of people living with epilepsy at Kenyatta National Hospital was
significantly impaired and lower than that of the normal controls accompanying them. A comprehensive
epilepsy management program is recommended to address this problem and its associated risk factors for th
people living with epilepsy in Kenya.
