TY - JOUR
T1 - Cognition, mood and quality-of-life outcomes among low literacy adults living with epilepsy in rural Kenya
T2 - A preliminary study
AU - Mwangala, Patrick N.
AU - Kariuki, Symon M.
AU - Nyongesa, Moses K.
AU - Mwangi, Paul
AU - Chongwo, Esther
AU - Newton, Charles R.
AU - Abubakar, Amina
PY - 2018/8/1
Y1 - 2018/8/1
N2 - Epilepsy is frequently associated with neurocognitive impairments, mental health, and psychosocial problems but these are rarely documented in low- and middle-income countries. The aim of this study was to examine the neurocognitive outcomes, depressive symptoms, and psychosocial adjustments of people with epilepsy (PWE) in Kilifi, Kenya. We evaluated the impact of these outcomes on health-related quality of life. Self-report, interviewer-administered measures of depression (Major Depression Inventory) and quality of life (RAND SF-36) were administered to 63 PWE and 83 community controls. Neurocognitive functioning was assessed using Raven's Standard Progressive Matrices, Digit Span, and Contingency Naming Test. The results show that PWE have poorer scores for executive function, working memory, intelligence quotient (IQ), depression, and quality of life than controls. Twenty-seven (27%) of PWE had depressive symptoms, which was significantly greater than in controls (6%); P < 0.001. Quality-of-life scores were significantly lower in PWE with depressive symptoms than in those without depressive symptoms (Mean QoL scores (standard deviation (SD)): 46.43 (13.27) versus 64.18 (17.69); P = 0.01. On adjusted linear regression models, depression affected total quality-of-life scores (P = 0.07) as well as individual health indicator domains touching on pain (P = 0.04), lethargy/fatigue (P = 0.01), and emotional well-being (P = 0.02). Our results show that epilepsy is associated with a significant burden of mental health and neurocognitive impairments in the community; however, community-based studies are needed to provide precise estimates of these disorders.
AB - Epilepsy is frequently associated with neurocognitive impairments, mental health, and psychosocial problems but these are rarely documented in low- and middle-income countries. The aim of this study was to examine the neurocognitive outcomes, depressive symptoms, and psychosocial adjustments of people with epilepsy (PWE) in Kilifi, Kenya. We evaluated the impact of these outcomes on health-related quality of life. Self-report, interviewer-administered measures of depression (Major Depression Inventory) and quality of life (RAND SF-36) were administered to 63 PWE and 83 community controls. Neurocognitive functioning was assessed using Raven's Standard Progressive Matrices, Digit Span, and Contingency Naming Test. The results show that PWE have poorer scores for executive function, working memory, intelligence quotient (IQ), depression, and quality of life than controls. Twenty-seven (27%) of PWE had depressive symptoms, which was significantly greater than in controls (6%); P < 0.001. Quality-of-life scores were significantly lower in PWE with depressive symptoms than in those without depressive symptoms (Mean QoL scores (standard deviation (SD)): 46.43 (13.27) versus 64.18 (17.69); P = 0.01. On adjusted linear regression models, depression affected total quality-of-life scores (P = 0.07) as well as individual health indicator domains touching on pain (P = 0.04), lethargy/fatigue (P = 0.01), and emotional well-being (P = 0.02). Our results show that epilepsy is associated with a significant burden of mental health and neurocognitive impairments in the community; however, community-based studies are needed to provide precise estimates of these disorders.
KW - Adults
KW - Depressive symptoms
KW - Epilepsy
KW - Kenya
KW - Neurocognitive impairment
KW - Quality of life
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85048327690&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.yebeh.2018.05.032
DO - 10.1016/j.yebeh.2018.05.032
M3 - Article
C2 - 29908383
AN - SCOPUS:85048327690
SN - 1525-5050
VL - 85
SP - 45
EP - 51
JO - Epilepsy and Behavior
JF - Epilepsy and Behavior
ER -