Anxiety and depression in Thai epileptic patients.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To study the prevalence of depression and anxiety in Thai epileptic patients at Songklanagarind Hospital, a tertiary care center in the South of Thailand. MATERIAL AND METHOD: One hundred and twenty six patients were included in the present study. A HADS questionnaire and demographics data were used for data collection in the present cross-sectional study. RESULTS: Thirty-nine percent of the respondents had anxiety and 20% had depression. Predictors of anxiety by univariate analysis were being female (p = 0.033) and seizure frequency (p = 0.001). Predictors of depression were seizure frequency (p = 0.001) and a history of trauma associated with seizure activity (p = 0.005). Age, type of seizure, amount of medication, duration of disease, socioeconomic status, occupation, education level, and marital status were not predictors of depression or anxiety. CONCLUSION: There is a high prevalence of depression and anxiety in Thai epileptics. Risk factors for depression are seizure frequency and history of trauma while for anxiety they are gender and frequency of seizure.