Prevalence of Anxiety and Depression among Epileptic patients in selected Hospitals, Rohtak. Haryana

Abstract

Background: Epilepsy is a common neurological condition associated with recurrent and unpredictable seizures associated with significant psychological and social consequences. People with epilepsy (PWE) are more vulnerable to psychiatric illnesses: rates of psychiatric illness are 9% higher among PWE than in the general population and rates of depression, 22% higher. Aim of the Study: to assess the prevalence of anxiety and depression among epileptic patients. Methodology: Non-experimental descriptive survey research design was adopted in this study. data were collected from 100 outpatients who were visiting Vashishtha Neuro Care in City Rohtak, Haryana. Convenience sampling technique was adopted to recruit samples. Data were collected through GAD – 7 Spitzer et al., (2006) and Neurological Disorder Depression Inventory for Epilepsy. (NDDI – E) David E Friedman (2009), Collected data were analysed by means of descriptive and inferential statistics. Results: An overwhelming majority of the samples mild 72 (72.00%) have mild level of anxiety. Similarly, with regard to depression an overwhelming majority of the samples mild 54 (54.00%) have mild level of depression. High correlation was there between anxiety and depression (r = 0.785). There was a statistically significant association between anxiety and residence (ꭓ2 = 7.451, ‘P’ value 0.024). Statistically significant associations were also present between depression and the demographic variables such as past history of medical illness, substance abuse and hospitalization. Conclusion: Our study findings revealed anxiety was more than depression among clients with epilepsy. There was also high correlation among the comorbidities. More attention should be paid to incorporating anxiety and depression screening and treatment into existing epilepsy programs and to revising treatment guidelines of epileptic clients.