Health Related Quality of Life and Medication Adherence of Children Diagnosed With Epilepsy: A Cross Sectional Study

Abstract

Epilepsy is a prevalent chronic childhood illness that has long-term therapy. Health related quality of life (HRQoL) is also dependent on many factors such as the severity of seizures and medications side effects. Lack of good medication adherence is viewed as a primary reason behind failure of epilepsy treatment with adherence levels at 25-75 in children.

Objectives: To evaluate health related quality of life and medication adherence among children diagnosed with epilepsy and find out the relationship between the two variables.

Methods: The study was a quantitative cross-sectional study on 219 epileptic children who were selected using the convenient sampling method. The data were gathered with the help of the QOLCE-55 and MMAS-8 self-reports. The data collected was performed through descriptive and inferential statistics.

Results: Among 219 participants, 49% (n=107) reported good health-related quality of life, while 51% (n=112) had impaired HRQoL. Regarding medication adherence, 42% (n=92) demonstrated good adherence, while 58% (n=127) showed non-adherence. A statistically significant correlation was found between medication adherence and quality of life (r=0.198, p=0.003). Age showed significant association with HRQoL (p=0.040), while gender and place of living were significantly associated with medication adherence.

Conclusion: The majority of children had impaired cognitive and physical functioning. The study clearly demonstrates that good medication adherence correlates with improved quality of life for children diagnosed with epilepsy. Regular monitoring of medication adherence and interventions to improve access and affordability of anti-seizure medications are recommended to enhance the quality of life of these children.