Introduction: There is a growing global concern about the effect of epilepsy on the Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) of the sufferers.
Aim: This study assessed the determinants of HRQoL in persons with epilepsy (PWE) in a tertiary hospital in North Western Nigeria.
Methodology: A cross-sectional study was carried out on 103 patients with epilepsy aged ≥ 18 years attending Neurology clinic. Ethical clearance was obtained from the Health Research Ethics Committee of the institution. The short version of the World Health Organization Quality of Life questionnaire (WHOQOL-BREF) was administered to the participants. Statistical significance was set with p value at 0.05. The determinants of HRQoL was obtained by using univariate and subsequent multivariate logistic regression analysis.
Result: The mean age of patients was 33.4±15.8 years. There were 54(52.4%) males and 49 (47.6%) females. The significant determinants of HRQoLfound were time of last seizure episode (OR = 7.50, 95% CI = 1.36 -41.20, p = 0.021) and social support (OR = 21.5, 95% CI = 3.67 - 125.68, p = 0.001). Following multivariate logistic regression analysis, social support (OR = 29.51, 95% CI = 2.87 - 302.66, p = 0.004) appeared as the independent determinant of HRQoLin PWE.
Conclusion: Social support was the main determining factor of HRQoL in epilepsy patients in this study. Therefore there is the need to ensure a comprehensive care which should include health education, adequate seizure control and social support for epilepsy patients to improve their HRQoL.