Association seen for frequent seizures, emergency transport, longer epilepsy duration with poorer QOL in children, caregivers
By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter
THURSDAY, Jan. 9, 2025 (HealthDay News) — Disability is a significant risk factor for lower quality of life (QOL) and increased caregiver burden among children with epilepsy and their caregivers, according to a study published in the February issue of Epilepsy & Behavior.
Shin Okazaki, from Osaka City General Hospital in Japan, and colleagues examined QOL in children with epilepsy and their caregivers. The daily living subset of the Japanese version of the Quality of Life in Children with Epilepsy (QOLCE-Js52) was used to measure children’s QOL. The physical component summary (PCS) and mental component summary (MCS) of the Short Form-8 (SF-8) and the short Japanese version of the Zarit Caregiver Burden Interview (J-ZBI_8) were used to measure caregiver QOL and burden.
A total of 1,147 caregivers (99.7 percent parents) completed the survey between March and May 2023. The researchers found that the mean QOLCE-Js52 score was 68.3. For the PCS and MCS of the SF-8, the mean scores were 46.5 and 43.7, respectively, which were both significantly lower than those of the general population. The mean J-ZBI_8 score was 4.9; 13.2 percent of caregivers scored at least 13, indicating depression. Disability was a significant risk factor for lower QOL and elevated caregiver burden in a multivariate regression analysis. Poorer QOL in children and caregivers was seen in association with frequent seizures, emergency transportation, and longer epilepsy duration.
“These findings underscore the substantial effects of caregiving on the mental and physical health of caregivers,” the authors write.
Several authors disclosed ties to Aculys Pharma, which funded the study.
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