Examining the relationships of stigma and depression in patients with epilepsy

Background:Epilepsy, one of the most common, serious chronic neurological diseases, is accompanied by different levels of perceived stigma that affects people in almost all age groups. This stigma can negatively impact the physical and mental health of people living with epilepsy (PLWE). In this study, we aimed to investigate the relationship between level of stigmatization and the severity of the depressive symptoms in patients with epilepsy. Methods: Current study is a correlational survey (cross sectional) which investigates the relationship between social stigma and depressive symptoms. Among all of people with epilepsy referred to Tehran Epilepsy Clinic, 440 patients were selected based on purposive sampling. Data were collected by demographic check list, epilepsy stigma scale and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) was used to quantify depressive symptoms. Data analysis was performed with chi-square test and logistic regression test via SPSS v.21. Findings: The results of this study showed that there is no difference between men and women with epilepsy in the social stigma and depressive symptoms. We saw that 46.9% (n=139)of this population rated themselves as having at least mildly depressive symptoms with BDI. There was a moderate positive correlation between stigma scores and BDI scores (p= 0.000, r = 0.504). Conclusion: This study shows that stigmatization of the patients with epilepsy leads to depression in those patients. Therefore, planning for providing social psychosocial treatments is necessary to prevent depression in these patients.

Keywords:

Epilepsy , Stigma , Depression