International differences in psychosocial well-being: a comparative study of adults with epilepsy in three countries

Do Rural Residents in China Understand EQ-5D-5L as Intended? Evidence From a Qualitative Study

BACKGROUND

The 5-level EQ-5D (EQ-5D-5L) has been increasingly used in China to measure the health status of the general population and patients. However, its content validity among rural residents in China has not been formally evaluated. This qualitative study aims to assess the content validity of EQ-5D-5L among rural Chinese.

METHODS

Participants were recruited from four regions (North, South, East and West) across China. Eligible participants were those living in the rural area in last three years and making a living by agricultural operations. Semi-structured interviews were conducted. Interview transcripts were analysed to assess the comprehensibility, relevance, clarity and comprehensiveness.

RESULTS

Sixty-two participants were included, comparable to the national figures regarding age, sex and education. For comprehensibility, participants could understand the 'mobility', 'self-care' and 'usual activities' domains well, but some reported confusions in 'pain/discomfort' (n = 42) and 'anxiety/depression' (n = 35). Some also reported difficulties in understanding anxiety (n = 6) and depression (n = 9), possibly due to the formal wording used. For relevance, all domains were reported as health-related and participants' responses were based on their own health. For clarity, all could distinguish the five levels, but suggestions on reducing response levels and alternative wording for 'slight' were raised. For comprehensiveness, two aspects (fatigue/energy and appetite) were raised beyond the EQ-5D-5L domains. The 'mobility' domain was selected as the most important and 'anxiety/depression' as the least important.

CONCLUSION

Rural Chinese reported problems on the content validity of Chinese EQ-5D-5L. It might be sensible to consider some revisions to make it more understandable for rural residents.

Genetic causal attribution of epilepsy and its implications for felt stigma

OBJECTIVE

Research in other disorders suggests that genetic causal attribution of epilepsy might be associated with increased stigma. We investigated this hypothesis in a unique sample of families containing multiple individuals with epilepsy.

METHODS

One hundred eighty-one people with epilepsy and 178 biologic relatives without epilepsy completed a self-administered survey. In people with epilepsy, felt stigma was assessed through the Epilepsy Stigma Scale (ESS), scored 1-7, with higher scores indicating more stigma and >4 indicating some felt stigma. Felt stigma related to having epilepsy in the family was assessed through the Family Epilepsy Stigma Scale (FESS), created by replacing "epilepsy" with "epilepsy in my family" in each ESS item. Genetic attribution was assessed through participants' perceptions of the (1) role of genetics in causing epilepsy in the family, (2) chance they had an epilepsy-related mutation, and (3) (in people with epilepsy) influence of genetics in causing their epilepsy.

RESULTS

Among people with epilepsy, 22% met criteria for felt stigma (ESS score >4). Scores were increased among individuals who were aged ≥60 years, were unemployed, reported epilepsy-related discrimination, or had seizures within the last year or >100 seizures in their lifetime. Adjusting for other variables, ESS scores in people with epilepsy were significantly higher among those who perceived genetics played a "medium" or "big" role in causing epilepsy in the family than in others (3.4 vs. 2.7, p = 0.025). Only 4% of relatives without epilepsy had felt stigma. Scores in relatives were unrelated to genetic attribution.

SIGNIFICANCE

In these unusual families, predictors of felt stigma in individuals with epilepsy are similar to those in other studies, and stigma levels are low in relatives without epilepsy. Felt stigma may be increased in people with epilepsy who believe epilepsy in the family has a genetic cause, emphasizing the need for sensitive communication about genetics.

Interpretation and use of the 5-level EQ-5D response labels varied with survey language among Asians in Singapore

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to investigate the comparability of the English, Chinese, and Malay versions of the 5-level EQ-5D (EQ-5D-5L) response labels in Singapore.

STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING

Visitors to a primary care institution in Singapore (n = 743) were asked to complete two exercises: (1) rating the severity of the EQ-5D-5L response labels presented in English, Chinese, or Malay using a 0-100 numeric rating scale and (2) using the labels to describe various hypothetical health problems. Label ratings and choices between language versions were compared using regression analysis.

RESULTS

Perceived severity of the English and Chinese labels was similar. Compared with their English counterparts, the Malay label "slight(ly)" was rated as more severe (adjusted mean difference: 10.5 to 14.5) and "unable"/"extreme(ly)" as less severe (adjusted mean difference: -13.3 to -11.0) (P < 0.001 for all). The Malay labels "no(t)" and "unable"/"extreme(ly)" and the less severe Chinese labels were more frequently used to describe hypothetical health problems than their English counterparts.

CONCLUSION

Interpretation and use of the EQ-5D-5L response labels vary among Singaporeans using different language versions of the instrument. Future studies need to investigate ways to reduce the variations and increase the cross-cultural measurement equivalence of the instrument.

Cross-cultural measurement equivalence of the EQ-5D-5L items for English-speaking Asians in Singapore

PURPOSE

To investigate how the response labels of the 5-level EQ-5D (EQ-5D-5L) items are interpreted and used by English-speaking Chinese and non-Chinese Singaporeans, as a means to assessing whether those items are cross-culturally equivalent health-status measures in this Asian population.

METHODS

In face-to-face interviews, Chinese, Malay and Indian visitors to a primary care institution in Singapore were asked to rate the relative severity conveyed by EQ-5D-5L response labels, each containing the keyword of 'no(t),' 'slight(ly),' 'moderate(ly),' 'severe(ly),' or 'unable'/'extreme(ly),' using a 0-100 numerical rating scale. Participants were also asked to describe 25 hypothetical health states using the EQ-5D-5L response labels. Differences between Chinese and Malay/Indian participants in label interpretation and selection were examined using multivariate regression analysis to adjust for participant characteristics.

RESULTS

The differences in adjusted mean severity scores for individual EQ-5D-5L labels between Chinese (n = 148) and non-Chinese (Malay: n = 53; Indian: n = 56) participants ranged from 0.0 to 9.0. The relative severity of the labels to the participants supported the ordinality of the EQ-5D-5L response labels and was similar across ethnic groups. Chinese and non-Chinese participants selected similar response labels to describe each hypothetical health state, with the adjusted odds ratios of selecting any type of the five response labels for non-Chinese versus Chinese participants ranging from 0.92 to 1.15 (p > 0.05 for all).

CONCLUSIONS

The EQ-5D-5L items are likely to generate equivalent health outcomes between English-speaking Chinese and non-Chinese Singaporeans.

The societal integration of individuals with epilepsy: perspectives for the 21st century

Epilepsy is a common neurologic disorder seen throughout the world. Advances in therapy have made it possible for persons with epilepsy (PWEs) to have improved seizure control and a better quality of life. However, it is not entirely clear whether this has resulted in their successful integration into society. This review examines the societal integration of PWEs, identifying both the progress made and the challenges that continue to hamper further advances. In general, PWEs are more integrated in western-oriented cultures. However, there continue to be ongoing difficulties due to poor education and intellectual functioning, poor social and family support, the undertreatment of coexisting psychiatric conditions, transportation and mobility limitations, and problems obtaining employment. This review also discusses the effects of low socioeconomic status on integration and the persisting prejudices that affect certain racial groups. Most importantly, this review underscores the fact that societal stigma towards PWEs is still very much alive. At the beginning of the 21st century, PWEs still encounter difficulties in their quest for full societal integration. Along with medical advances being made to improve seizure control, much still has to be done to bring about the reforms necessary to help PWEs live more meaningful and productive lives.

Impact of epilepsy on employment in Malaysia

INTRODUCTION

Studies on the impact of epilepsy on employment have been extensively performed in European and some Asian countries but not in Southeast Asia such as Malaysia, a country with a robust economy, low unemployment rate, and minimal social security benefits for the unemployed. This study aims to determine the impact of epilepsy on employment in Malaysia.

METHODS

Two hundred fifty subjects (52.4% male) with a mean age of 35.2 years were recruited from a tertiary neurology clinic in Malaysia.

RESULTS

Of the 250 subjects, 69.6% were employed full-time, 10.4% employed part-time, and 20.0% unemployed. Furthermore, 42.8% had a monthly income below poverty line, i.e., RM1000 (USD 320). Unemployment was associated with female gender, lower education level, younger age of seizure onset, less responsiveness to first antiepileptic drug (AED), higher seizure frequency and less seizure freedom, and higher total score in seizure severity scale. The age of onset (p=0.017), total score in the seizure severity scale (p=0.018), and the responsiveness to first AED (p=0.045) were the significant predictors of unemployment. Patients with part-time employment had similar education level with those who were unemployed, but they are more likely to be male and married, with intermediate age of seizure onset and seizure severity but with higher seizure frequency. As compared to their age-matched siblings, the patients were more likely to be unemployed (OR 13.1), to be single, and to have lower education level and lower monthly income.

CONCLUSION

Patients with epilepsy have high unemployment rate in Malaysia despite a robust economy and minimal social security. Besides those who were unemployed, many were in part-time or low-income employment.

Assessing the impact of cancer among Dutch non-Hodgkin lymphoma survivors compared with their American counterparts: a cross-national study

PURPOSE

To understand cultural differences in the impact of cancer (IOC) by (i) performing an independent psychometric evaluation of the Dutch version of the Impact of Cancer Scale version 2 (IOCv2) in a non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) sample and (ii) examining differences between Dutch and American NHL survivors in perceived IOC and identifying associations with socio-demographic and clinical characteristics.

METHODS

Data collected from 491 Dutch and 738 American NHL survivors were used in this study. IOCv2 responses were obtained from all survivors; the Dutch survivors also completed the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Core questionnaire, which measures quality of life.

RESULTS

Exploratory factor analysis of the Dutch version yielded a factor solution similar to the American structure but with some subscales merging into single factors. Internal consistency was good; Cronbach's alpha was 0.88 for the Positive and 0.94 for the Negative summary scales. Large differences were observed between survivors, whereby Dutch survivors reported fewer Positive (Δ -0.4, p < 0.001, effect size: 0.27) and more Negative (Δ 0.2, p ≤ 0.001, effect size: 0.13) impacts of cancer independent of socio-demographic and clinical characteristics.

CONCLUSION

Similar impact domains of the IOCv2 were observed in the Dutch sample, providing evidence that IOCv2 scales measure common and important survivor concerns across two different Western nations. Higher positive impacts for US survivors might be explained by more personal control and availability of supportive services. Future research should focus on determinants of the IOC in both Dutch and American survivors to gain better understanding of the factors that might improve it and suggest how health care may be modified toward that end.

Validation of the individualised neuromuscular quality of life for the USA with comparison of the impact of muscle disease on those living in USA versus UK

Background

The Individualised Neuromuscular Quality of Life (INQoL) questionnaire is a published muscle disease specific measure of QoL that has been validated using both qualitative and quantitative methods in a United Kingdom population of adults with muscle disease. If INQoL is to be used in other countries it needs to be linguistically and culturally validated for those countries. It may be important to understand any cultural differences in how patients rate their QoL when applying QoL measures in multi-national clinical trials.

Methods

We conducted a postal survey of QoL issues in US adults with muscle disease using an agreed translation, from UK to US English, of the same questionnaire as was used in the original construction of INQoL. This questionnaire included an opportunity for free text comments on any aspects of QoL that might not have been covered by the questionnaire. We examined the responses using both quantitative and qualitative approaches. The frequency of the responses in US versus UK populations was compared using appropriate correlation tests and Rasch analysis. A phenomenological approach was used to guide the qualitative analysis and facilitate the exploration of patients' perceptions and experiences.

Results

The US survey received 333 responses which were compared with 251 UK survey responses.

We found that INQoL domains covered all the issues raised by US subjects with no additional domains required. The experiences of those with muscle disease were remarkably similar in the US and UK but there were differences related to the impact of muscle disease on relationships and on employment which was greater for those living in the United States. The greater impact on employment was associated with a higher importance rating given to employment in the US. This may reflect the lower level of financial support for those who are unemployed, and the loss of employment related health benefits.

Conclusions

INQoL is appropriate for use in US population but there may be differences in the importance that US subject attach to certain aspects of QoL that could be the basis for further study.

If these differences are confirmed then this may have implications for the interpretation of QoL outcomes in multi-national trials.

Health-related quality of life measurement in cystic fibrosis: advances and limitations

Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) measurement in cystic fibrosis (CF) allows the inclusion of the patient's perspective in research and clinical practice. HRQoL scales have been used for many purposes and this review focuses on how HRQoL measurement has been implemented in CF research and care. Specifically, the review considers 1) the instruments used to measure HRQoL, 2) the factors that influence how people report HRQoL, 3) the monitoring of HRQoL in clinical practice, 4) HRQoL as an outcome measure in interventions and clinical trials and 5) whether HRQoL can predict survival. The challenge for the future is to use the available information to develop and evaluate psychological interventions that would be expected to improve HRQoL in children and adults with CF.

Adherence and complementary and alternative medicine use among Honduran people with epilepsy

Adherence to antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) and use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) among Hondurans with epilepsy were evaluated. Our epilepsy cohort of 274 outpatients was surveyed to determine demographics, epilepsy treatment history, adherence, and use of CAM. Nonadherence to epilepsy therapy was reported by 121, with unavailability of AEDs (48%) the most common reason. CAM was reportedly used by 141, with prayer, herbs, and potions being common. Forty-nine rural Miskito Hondurans without epilepsy were also interviewed to gain an understanding of their beliefs and longstanding practices regarding epilepsy. Seventeen (34.7%) attributed epilepsy to the supernatural; only three knew of an AED. Widespread nonadherence to evidence-based epilepsy treatments in Honduras can be attributed to inadequate education, AED unavailability, insufficient resources, cultural beliefs, and wide use of CAM. A comprehensive epilepsy education program and improved access to evidence-based AEDs represent initial priorities to improve the Honduran epilepsy treatment gap.

Health-related quality of life of children with epilepsy in Hong Kong: how does it compare with that of youth with epilepsy in Canada?

OBJECTIVE

The primary aim of our study was to compare the health-related quality of life (HRQL) of children with epilepsy in Hong Kong with that of children with epilepsy in Canada, and to explore possible factors affecting these findings. A second interest was to determine agreement between proxy reports and self-ratings among children with epilepsy in Hong Kong, compare these with findings in Canada, and identify factors that influence the concordance.

METHODS

Child self-report and parent-proxy questionnaires on an epilepsy-specific HRQL measure, appropriately translated and validated in Chinese, were administered to 266 Hong Kong children and their parents. An unpaired t test was used to compare the scores with published results from 381 Canadian children and their parents, who used the original English version of the measure. Demographic characteristics of the two groups were compared using t tests, chi2 tests, and Fisher's exact tests. Agreement between parents' and children's scores was evaluated with intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) and standardized response means (SRMs). The total HRQL score differences between parents and children in Hong Kong were compared with those in Canada using an unpaired t test. Factors that might affect the parent-child score difference were studied using Pearson correlation analysis, chi2 test, and analysis of variance. Factors studied included: sex, current age, age at diagnosis, duration of epilepsy, number of antiepileptic drugs used, type of seizure, seizure severity, cognition of the child, the type of school attended, presence of neurological problems, presence of behavioral problems, recent health care usage, education and employment status of both parents, housing status of the family, and relationship of the proxy respondent to the child.

RESULTS

(1) In contrast to the Canadian sample, Hong Kong children with epilepsy were older (P<0.01), had a longer duration of epilepsy (P<0.01) and less severe seizures (P<0.01), and were more likely to attend normal schools (P<0.01). Children in Hong Kong reported more interpersonal/social difficulties (P<0.01), more worries (P<0.01), and more secrecy about their epilepsy (P<0.01). Parents in Hong Kong believed that their children perceived more worries (P<0.01) and were more secretive about their epilepsy (P<0.01). (2) Moderate to good agreement between parent-proxy response scores and child self-report scores was demonstrated (ICC=0.50-0.69, SRM=0.19-0.33). The total HRQL score differences between parent and child in Hong Kong were not different from those in Canada. None of the factors studied were related to the parent-child score difference.

CONCLUSIONS

Youth with epilepsy in Hong Kong and their parents reported poorer quality of life than children with epilepsy in Canada. Further studies are necessary to identify the determinants of HRQL in children with epilepsy in different cultures. Acceptable agreement between the two ratings suggests that proxy reports can be used when child self-reports cannot be obtained.

Epilepsy and employment: literature review

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this review is to increase understanding of the factors that affect the regular employment positions of people with epilepsy by means of the World Health Organization International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF) model.

METHOD

Thirty-four primary research articles describing factors associated with employment for people with epilepsy are reviewed.

RESULTS

People with epilepsy may face a number of complex and interacting problems in finding and maintaining employment. Stigma, seizure severity, and psychosocial variables such as low self-esteem, passive coping style, and low self-efficacy have been implicated as factors that play an important role in predicting employment. Findings demonstrate the need for specific employment training programs.

CONCLUSION

We recommend specific training interventions that focus on increasing the self-efficacy and coping skills of people with epilepsy so that these individuals will be able to accept their disorder and make personal and health-related choices that help them to achieve better employment positions in society.

Psychometric properties of the revised Piper Fatigue Scale in Dutch cancer patients were satisfactory

OBJECTIVE

To examine the psychometric properties of the revised Piper Fatigue Scale (PFS) in Dutch cancer patients.

STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING

Participants were 64 patients with lung (any stage, nonsurgery) and breast (any stage) cancer, selected for curative high-dose radiotherapy (> or =50 Gy). Prior to radiotherapy, patients completed the revised PFS (translated into Dutch), the Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory (MFI), and the Rotterdam Symptom Checklist (RSCL). Reliability and construct and criterion validity of the PFS were investigated.

RESULTS

Overall, the structure of the Dutch revised PFS appeared appropriate, with corrected item-subscale correlations being higher than the correlations of the same item with the three other subscales; furthermore, internal consistency was excellent (Cronbach's alpha > or =0.90). Lung cancer patients were significantly more tired then breast cancer patients, supporting construct validity. Criterion validity was also satisfactory, with highest correlations of PFS total fatigue with the MFI subscale general fatigue (0.84) and RSCL overall quality of life score (0.74). Internal consistency was similar in Dutch and U.S. breast cancer patients; fatigue scores were lower on several PFS subscales in the Dutch study population.

CONCLUSION

Psychometric properties of the Dutch version of the revised PFS, as tested in cancer patients prior to radiotherapy, were satisfactory.

Quality of life in children and adolescents with cystic fibrosis: implications for optimizing treatments and clinical trial design

Health related quality of life (QOL) as an outcome measure in clinical trials is becoming increasingly important. Trials should not only be able to demonstrate the pharmacologic activity of a therapy, but of equal importance, they should demonstrate clinical effectiveness that is of significant benefit to the patient. QOL measurement provides a way of incorporating the child/parent's perspective of how cystic fibrosis (CF) and its therapies impact on their lives. Several validated generic instruments have been employed to measure QOL in adolescents and adults. QOL assessment is more difficult in children and, therefore, has been employed less often in children with CF. Difficulties arise with the issue of whether children can report their own experiences directly, or whether a parent or clinician should report on behalf of the child. A child-centered approach is imperative since the literature indicates that children are able to report on their own QOL. An additional complication has been the use of adult measures with children. These are often inappropriate in their complexity, use of language, response scales, and time frame. The evaluation of pharmacologic therapies can profit from QOL measurement. The effectiveness of a drug and any adverse effects that impact on daily life can be assessed from the child/parent's viewpoint. Home therapy versus hospital therapy and drug delivery systems, are additional areas where QOL as an outcome measure is valuable. There have been relatively few appropriately powered trials in CF, and only a minority of these have evaluated QOL as an outcome measure. This review highlights areas where QOL measurement is appropriate. It focuses on the pharmacologic trials that have employed QOL assessment for antibiotic, mucociliary clearance, anti-inflammatory, and nutritional therapies. Methodological issues of incorporating QOL assessment into trials center on cross-cultural and data interpretation issues. QOL measurement in CF has been patchy and largely unreliable. The notion that improved symptoms equate with improved QOL is erroneous. Measurement of how symptoms impact on QOL is essential. Currently, the development and validation of CF specific measures (across the CF age range) provides optimism for appropriate QOL measurement in clinical trials, and for future meta-analysis and systematic reviews.

Socioeconomic prognosis after a newly diagnosed unprovoked epileptic seizure in adults: a population-based case-control study

PURPOSE

To investigate the socioeconomic prognosis after a newly diagnosed unprovoked epileptic seizure in adults.

METHODS

Sixty-three patients 17 years or older with a newly diagnosed unprovoked epileptic seizure from 1985 through 1987 and 107 sex- and age- matched controls were followed up for 10 years to 1996. Studied variables were income, source of income, sickness periods, incapacity rate, diagnosis-specific incapacity rate, vocational status, and education.

RESULTS

Relative growth of income was similar between patients and controls during follow-up. Patients had lower income than did controls 2 years before seizure onset and during the entire follow-up. This was related to higher morbidity among patients, as measured by sickness periods and incapacity rate. Employment rates did not evolve negatively among patients after seizure onset and were close to employment rates of controls during follow-up time. There was no difference between patients and controls regarding education.

CONCLUSIONS

After a newly diagnosed unprovoked epileptic seizure in adults, no negative development regarding employment and education occurs. Income development is positive unless refractory seizures evolve. However, income is lower among patients with epilepsy than among controls, and this difference can be related to overall morbidity.

Epilepsy in Estonia: a quality-of-life study

PURPOSE

To study the impact of epilepsy and its treatment on people with epilepsy in Estonia and to analyze how it is affected by the characteristics of epilepsy.

METHODS

Clinical and demographic data about patients were obtained from medical notes and mailed self-completed questionnaires (including the RAND 36-Items Health Survey 1.0 (RAND-36)).

RESULTS

Information was collected from 203 patients aged 20-74 years, who all had active epilepsy. A third of the respondents had been seizure free during the last year. Eighty-four percent were receiving monotherapy. More than half of respondents felt stigmatized by epilepsy, 24.7% of them highly so. A third were working full-time, 31.9% were underemployed workers, and 11%, unemployed. Sixty-two percent of these same unemployed or underemployed workers considered their epilepsy to be a significant reason for this situation. Overall, 44% believed they had been treated unfairly at work or when trying to get a job. Study respondents scored lower in all domains on the RAND-36 than did persons from the control group. The biggest differences were found in five domains: Social functioning, Role limitations-physical, Role limitations-emotional, General health, and Vitality.

CONCLUSIONS

The clinical characteristics of this study were similar to those of most other series of prevalence cases of epilepsy. The level of employment among persons with epilepsy was not lower than that in the general population. The percentage of stigmatization was high. There were significant differences in the way respondents scored on the stigma scale and on the RAND-36 domains when measuring their health status, depending above all on seizure frequency and type.

Psychosocial impact of epileptic seizures in a Dutch epilepsy population: a comparative Washington Psychosocial Seizure Inventory study

PURPOSE

The psychosocial functioning of epilepsy patients from the Netherlands was investigated and compared with results from other countries. The impact of epilepsy was also studied in two different groups of Dutch epilepsy patients, inpatients and outpatients.

METHODS

The Washington Psychosocial Seizure Inventory (WPSI) was used to study the psychosocial problems of 134 Dutch outpatients and 181 Dutch inpatients. WPSI profiles were compared with those from the former German Democratic Republic (West Germany), Finland, Canada, the United States, Chile, and Japan.

RESULTS

For the Dutch epilepsy patients, most of the psychosocial problems were experienced by inpatients; they had serious problems in emotional, interpersonal, and vocational adjustment, adjustment to seizures, and overall psychosocial functioning. Seizure-free outpatients, however, experienced significant problems only in the emotional adjustment area. Comparing the outcomes of various countries, Dutch outpatients and patients from West Germany and Finland experienced the least psychosocial difficulties, whereas epilepsy patients from Chile, Japan, and Canada have serious problems in most areas of psychosocial functioning.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with epilepsy experience psychosocial problems, although the amount of psychosocial difficulties depends on the seizure frequency and the culture that patients live in.

Impact of taking antiepileptic drugs at school in a group of children and adolescents

The impact of epilepsy on the quality of life can be significant. Peer acceptance is important for the social adjustment of children. Even children with controlled seizures may appear different from their peers if they are required to leave the classroom to take antiepileptic drugs. The objective of this pilot study was to determine if there is a measurable effect on peer relationships in children having to leave the classroom or recess time to take antiepileptic medications in a school setting. Results of surveys mailed or distributed by a pharmacist were obtained from 47 children, aged 6 to 18 years. Children who reported poor seizure control were significantly more likely to have trouble making friends compared with those with seizures controlled (70% vs 27%, P = 0.02). Even though the majority reported good seizure control (7/8), the children who left the classroom to take medications reported that they had significantly more trouble making friends than those who did not leave the classroom (63% vs 21%, P = 0.03). Therefore, the effect of taking medication at school may be associated with a significant decrease in social and peer relationships, even in children with self-reported good seizure control.

Cross-cultural differences in health-related quality of life of people with epilepsy: findings from a European study

PURPOSE

To examine between-country differences in health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of adults with epilepsy across a large number of European countries.

METHODS

Self-completion postal questionnaire sent to large sample of adults with epilepsy, recruited from epilepsy support groups or epilepsy outpatient clinics. The questionnaire was developed in English and translated. Back-translations from each language were checked for accuracy. The questionnaire sought information on clinical and socio-demographic details, and contained a number of previously validated scales of psychosocial well-being (the SF-36, the perceived impact of epilepsy scale, and a feelings of stigma scale).

RESULTS

Controlling for socio-demographic and clinical characteristics, significant between-country differences were found in scores on the perceived impact of epilepsy scale, on seven of the eight SF-36 domains, and on the feelings of stigma scale. Respondents in Spain and the Netherlands fared consistently better, whilst those in France fared poorest, compared to those in other countries in terms of the various HRQOL measures used.

CONCLUSION

Several possible reasons for the cross-cultural differences in HRQOL are proposed. Clearly, there is no single explanation and there may also be reasons which we have overlooked. This study emphasises the need for further comprehensive research in order that the position of people with epilepsy in different countries be more thoroughly understood in the social context.

Quality of life assessment in a cross-cultural context: use of the Rotterdam Symptom Checklist in a multinational randomised trial comparing CMF and Zoladex (Goserlin) treatment in early breast cancer

AIM

The aim of the study is to investigate quality of life (QoL) in the context of a multinational trial. The questions addressed are: is the Rotterdam Symptom Checklist (RSCL) 1) feasible and 2) reliable in cross cultural research, 3) is earlier validation confirmed in a multinational trial and 4) are there systematic differences in QoL across cultures?

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Patients with histologically confirmed stage II, node positive breast cancer, were randomised in a multinational trial (the 'ZEBRA-study') comparing standard chemotherapy (CMF) or temporary ovarian ablation by treatment with a LHRH analogue (Zoladex, Goserlin). Patients originating from 13 countries completed a QoL questionnaire at baseline and three months after the start of treatment.

RESULTS

1) The questionnaire was completed by 689 patients at the first and 544 at the second measurement (response 78% and 68% respectively). The proportion of missing data was < 2.5% for 87.8% and 92.7% of the items at the respective time points. 2) Reliabilities of the physical and psychological distress scale were ranging from 0.68 to 0.90 across cultures. Reliability of the activity scale ranged from 0.42 to 0.89. 3) The structure at baseline was in agreement with the two factor structure proposed earlier. 4) Cross-cultural comparison indicated a systematic difference in QoL across cultures (P = 0.0028-< 0.0001) as well as a difference in change across cultures.

CONCLUSIONS

QoL assessment using the RSCL proved feasible in the context of multinational clinical trials. Psychometric qualities were satisfactory. Systematic differences in QoL were found between cultures. This finding implies that in multinational clinical trials, treatment comparisons with respect to QoL should carefully account for a differential impact of cultures on the results.

Life fulfillment in an epilepsy sample from the United States

This study examined the life fulfillment of a sample of 420 people with epilepsy drawn from affiliates of the Epilepsy Foundation of America in various urban and rural regions of the United States and also a private clinic. At the time of the study, all respondents were attending hospital outpatient neurological or epilepsy clinics for treatment, monitoring or advice. Life fulfillment was operationalized in terms of the discrepancy between people's desired and actual circumstances, and the scale developed for the research covered the following life domains: family and social relationships; leisure; worries; material security; employment. The findings revealed that the respondents were most fulfilled in the areas of family/social relationships, getting help with problems, leisure and housing. Health concerns seemed to be the prime source of non-fulfillment, with employment, marriage and money also appearing problematic. When factors associated with variations in overall life fulfillment were examined, unemployment, seizure predictability, polytherapy and living with a spouse/partner seemed to be of particular significance. The study findings are discussed and the need to pursue medical and vocational goals alongside each other in intervention strategies is emphasized.