ABSTRACT
This cross-sectional study aimed to determine the number and types of falls and vehicular crashes with injuries , as well as some specific behavioral associations in people with epilepsy (PWE) in northeastern Thailand. Two hundred and three patients with epilepsy were randomly recruited from the university epilepsy clinic in Khon Kaen, who then completed an interview and a questionnaire. It was found that 84.5% of the patients were operating a vehicle on a regular basis (more than 3days a week), and 21.6% of those had been in a vehicle crash. Additionally, 25.6% of the patients had been involved in falls with injuries. Forty-three percent of the respondents had been involved in either a vehicular crash or a fall with an injury, with 39.7% of the accidents resulting in moderate to severe injuries. Medication compliance was estimated at 66%, while 59.1% said that they had little or no control over their seizures, and more than half the patients did not feel confident about their ability to take care of themselves or to take their antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) properly. In a multivariate model, the following factors significantly increased the risk of being in either a vehicular crash or a fall with an injury: being single, attaining a secondary or higher education, exercising at least three times a week, napping every day or more frequently, and having poor seizure control. The results of this study suggest that patients' poor medication adherence and lack of confidence in managing their seizures may contribute to accidents. Patients with epilepsy should be counseled to seek less risky behaviors and try to attend classes that provide education on AED management.
