EPILEPSY EDUCATION PROGRAMME ON QUALITY OF LIFE AMONG PATIENTS WITH EPILEPSY
Determine the effectiveness of a nurse executed Epilepsy Education Program on Quality of Life (QOL) among patients with epilepsy.
Rationale/ Background:
Epilepsy is a chronic condition that affects individuals irrespective of age, sex, education and occupational status. Worldwide 50 million people have epilepsy. The prevalence of epilepsy in South India identified by Bangalore Urban Rural Neuroepidemiological Survey was 8.8 per 1,000 population, with a rural prevalence of 11.9 and in the urban areas it was 5.7. Epilepsy accounts for 0.5% of global disease burden. Information needs of individuals with epilepsy varies at different points of time, however, there is little known about the impact of an education programme on the subjective feelings of the patients with epilepsy that may affect their QoL.
Methods:
A randomized controlled trial was undertaken at the neurology outpatient department of a selected tertiary care center in south India. Ethical permission and informed written consent were obtained from the patients with epilepsy. On the first day, 175 samples were selected for the study and control groups and assessed for their Quality of Life using the QoLIE 31 (Rand.org.). On the 15th day 3 to 5 patients of the study group received the Epilepsy Education Program for 25 minutes using the epilepsy information booklet. The control group received the routine care. The first reinforcement was given on the 45th day along with clarification, following which the posttest I was done on the 90th day. After the first posttest the second reinforcement was given on the 135th day Follow-up was encouraged by telephonic reminders. The posttest II was carried out on the 180th day for both the study and control groups. Independent t test and RMANOVA were used for data analysis.
Results:
The study group and the control group did not have any difference at pretest for all the domains of QoL but the study group had significantly improved in all aspects in the posttest II at p = 0.0005. The study group had a significant improvement in the Total Quality of Life from 37.67 at pretest to 62.09 at posttest II, compared to the control group had TQoL of 37.46 at pretest and it was 34.39 at posttest II. The RMANOVA showed that the study group had a marked increase in energy, and decrease in medication effects and seizure worry, whereas the control group showed a consistent increase in seizure worry and showed a decrease in the mean for emotional well-being, Quality of Life, energy, cognitive functioning, medication effects and social functioning. There was a statistical significance at p = 0.0005 for all aspects of Quality of Life and the Total Quality of Life.
Implications:
The findings of the study support the need for an educational intervention. Nursing personnel can identify the information needs and provide specific patient education and counseling.