Skip to main content

Epilepsy in Children Linked to Lower QOL and Caregiver Strain

Medically reviewed by Carmen Pope, BPharm. Last updated on Jan 10, 2025.

By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter

THURSDAY, Jan. 9, 2025 -- 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.

Abstract/Full Text

Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

© 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.

Read this next

Tumor-Related Epilepsy Not Strong Prognostic Factor in Diffuse Glioma

WEDNESDAY, May 21, 2025 -- For patients with diffuse gliomas, tumor-related epilepsy (TRE) is not a strong prognostic factor, according to a study published in the May issue of...

All-Cause Mortality Higher With Sleep Deprivation in Seniors With Epilepsy

MONDAY, May 19, 2025 -- Older adults with sleep deprivation and epilepsy have an elevated risk for all-cause mortality, according to a study published online April 23 in...

New Definition of Epilepsy Improves Diagnosis, Treatment

TUESDAY, April 15, 2025 -- The new International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) definition of epilepsy results in a higher frequency of epilepsy diagnosis and treatment, according...

More news resources

Subscribe to our newsletter

Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.