Quality of life in patients with epilepsy

Cilj istraživanja:Cilj ispitivanja bio je utvrditi kako epilepsija utječe na svakodnevno funkcioniranje u različitim područjima života te utvrditi razinu zadovoljstva pacijenata svojom kvalitetom života. Nacrt studije:Prospektivna istraživačka studija provedena u specijalističkoj ambulanti na Klinici za neurologiju Kliničkog bolničkog centra Osijek. Ispitanici i metode:Ispitanici su osobe oboljele od epilepsije koje se liječe ambulantno na Klinici za neurologiju Kliničkog bolničkog centra Osijek.Sredstvo istraživanja bio je anonimni anketni upitnik (Quality of life in epilepsy – QOLIE-31 preveden na hrvatski jezik). On sadrži sedam podljestvica koje se bave sljedećim aspektima: emocionalno blagostanje, socijalno funkcioniranje, energija, kognitivno funkcioniranje, zabrinutost za napadaje, učinci lijekova i ukupna kvaliteta života. Rezultati:Prosječna starost ispitanika bila je 35 godina, 19 osoba ženskog i 16 muškog spola (p = 0,736). Sveukupna kvaliteta života osoba oboljelih od epilepsije prilično je visoka i iznosi 85,71 od maksimalnih 100 bodova, od čega je socijalna kvaliteta života najviša sa 66,68, a zabrinutost za napadaj najmanja s 42,32. Usporedbom ukupne kvalitete života sa spolom, statusom zaposlenosti, količinom lijekova, učestalosti napadaja i vrstom napadaja nije pronađena statistička značajnost, osim u usporedbi podskale kvalitete života s razinom obrazovanja (p = 0.036). Ukupna kvaliteta učinka lijekova prema razini obrazovanja najniža je kod ispitanika koji imaju 4 razreda OŠ i onih sa VSS. Zaključak:Kroz ovakvu samoprocjenu kvalitete života oboljelih od epilepsije medicinska sestra može bolje razumijeti kako se pacijenti nose sa svojom bolešću, što će doprinjeti učinkovitijoj skrbi. Istraživanje ostavlja prostora za daljnji rad s većom skupinom istraživane populacije.Study goal: The aim of the research was to determine the effects of epilepsy on daily functions in different aspects of life, and to determine the level of patient satisfaction with their quality of life. Study design: Prospective research study conducted at the specialist department at the Clinic of Neurology, University Hospital Centre Osijek. Methods and participans: The subjects were patients diagnosed with epilepsy, treated as outpatients at Clinic of Neurology, Clinical Hospital Center Osijek. The data was obtained via anonymous survey (Quality of life and epilepsy - QOLIE-31 translated into Croatian). It consists of seven subscales dealing with the following aspects: emotional well-being, social functioning, energy, cognitive abbilities, concern for the attacks, the effects of drugs and the overall quality of life. Results: The mean age of the patients was 35 years old, 19 females and 16 males (p = 0.736). The overall quality of life of people diagnosed with epilepsy is quite high at 85.71 out of a maximum 100 points, of which the social quality of life is the highest with 66.68, and concern for the attacks smallest, with 42.32. By comparing the overall quality of life with gender, employment status, amount of drugs, seizure frequency and type of attack significant statistical difference was not found, except in comparisson of the quality of life with the level of education (p = 0.036). The overall quality of the effect of drugs was the lowest in patients who have not completed elementary school and those with a university degree. Conclusion: Via the self-assessment of quality of life of people diagnosed with epilepsy nurse can understand better how patients cope with their illness, which will enable more efficient care. Further studies with larger groups of population studied should be conducted in the future