Factors contributing to the stigma of epilepsy

Abstract

PURPOSE: To evaluate the factors, including personality and coping styles, likely to be influential in enhancing the social stigma of epilepsy. METHODS: Data were collected from 400 adults with epilepsy recruited from 10 epilepsy centers in Korea. Clinical information about seizures was obtained by neurologists, and other information was collected from self-completed questionnaires, including those measuring stigma scales. RESULTS: Thirty-one percent of people with epilepsy felt stigmatized by their condition and in 9% of these the stigma was severe. Multivariate analysis identified experiences of actual discrimination from society, introverted personality, problem solving controllability, and emotional subscale of QOLIE-31 as being independently associated with the social stigma of epilepsy. CONCLUSIONS: Episodes of discrimination, coping strategies, and personality may be important in feeling the stigma of epilepsy. These findings may provide a basis for further studies to clarify the causative factors generating the stigma of epilepsy.