Abstract:
Abstract
Background: Epilepsy is one of the most common neurologic disorders that affect
approximately 50 million people of all ages and socio-economic classes worldwide.
Epilepsy has a significant economic implication in terms of health care needs,
premature death and lost work productivity. Studies have shown that developing
countries carry 90% of the financial burden of epilepsy. Therefore it is important to
assess the economic burden of epilepsy and identify factors affecting it.
Objective: To assess cost of illness of epilepsy and associated factors among patients
attending adult outpatient department of University of Gondar referral hospital, 2018.
Methods: Institution based cross sectional study was conducted from March 2018 –
April 2018. A total of 442 adult epileptic patients were selected from chronic follow up
clinic using systematic sampling technique and interviewed using interviewer
administered structured questionnaire. The data were entered to EPI INFO 7,
processed and analyzed by using SPSS version 20. Proportions, rates and summary
statistics such as mean, standard deviation were calculated for most variables. Logistic
regression was used to identify the associated factors and variables in multivariable
logistic regression analysis were considered significant using P<0.05 and confidence
interval.
Result: A total of 422 epileptic patients were participated in the study with response
rate of 95%. In this study the mean total cost of epilepsy per patient per year was 4478
birr
Conclusion and Recommendation: The economic prospects of individuals with
epilepsy and their families can be heavily inspected and Cost of epilepsy was affected
by Age, sex, educational status, number of AED, seizure frequency, Place where
patients buy anti epileptic drugs and disease duration. To minimize cost of illness of
epilepsy availing mobile clinic and collaboration in the planning and implementation for
prevention of epileptic seizures is needed.
Key words: cost of illness, epilepsy, Gondar University Referral Hospital, North West
Ethiopia
