Quality of life and related factors in Chinese adolescents with active epilepsy

Background: Studies from developed countries illustrate that adolescents with epilepsy have a higher frequency of behavioral problems than healthy or chronically ill control groups. In China, where public perception of epilepsy is relatively unfavorable, the impairment of quality of life (QOL) and its related risk factors in adolescents with epilepsy is unknown.

Methods: To identify the level of QOL and related factors among adolescents with epilepsy in China, we conducted a case-control study of 47 pairs of active adolescents with epilepsy and matched normal controls. QOL of adolescents with epilepsy was measured with the Chinese version of the "Quality of Life in Epilepsy Inventory for Adolescents 48 (QOLIE-AD-48)". Three domains unrelated to epilepsy (memory/concentration, physical functioning and social support) were used to evaluate QOL of a control group.

Results: The mean total score of QOLIE-AD-48 of epileptic subjects was 65.6+/-14.1. Aspects of memory/concentration, physical functioning and social support of adolescent patients were generally impaired compared with those of normal controls. Age of onset, seizure worry, and fear of injury were all significantly associated with QOL.

Conclusions: More attention should be paid to the seizure-related psychological status of adolescents with epilepsy to improve QOL at their transitional stage of physical and mental human development.