Factors associated with the employment situation and driving license of patients with epilepsy

INTRODUCTION: It is estimated that approximately 50% of patients with epilepsy have difficulty finding employment. OBJECTIVE: Evaluate the employment situation and driving license of patients with symptomatic or probably symptomatic focal epilepsy and correlate it with clinical and socio-demographic aspects. METHODS: Ninety-two patients were classified into 3 groups: "employed", "unemployed" and "retired/on leave". The relationship between employment and socio-demographic aspects and those of epilepsy was studied, and also whether the patients were holders of national driving licenses. RESULTS: Thirty-one (33.7%) of the patients were employed, 19 (20.7%) unemployed and 33 (35.9%) retired/on leave. Patients with formal education of less than 9 years predominated (p<0.05) in the "retired/on leave" group and non-white patients were more frequently unemployed. Of 58 patients who lost their jobs, 27 (46.6%) reported that epilepsy was the main reason (p<0.05). There was a significant relationship between the occurrence of ES at work and unemployment and "leave/retirement" (p