TY - JOUR
T1 - Injury deaths among people with epilepsy in rural Bangladesh
T2 - A retrospective population-based study
AU - Mateen, Farrah J.
AU - Shinohara, Russell T.
AU - Alam, Nurul
AU - Black, Robert E.
AU - Streatfield, Peter K.
N1 - Funding Information:
Dr. Mateen is supported by a Fellowship Grant from the American Academy of Neurology Foundation. Mr. Shinohara is supported by an Epidemiology and Biostatistics of Aging Training Grant (T32 AG000247).
PY - 2012/3
Y1 - 2012/3
N2 - Background: Accidental death in people with epilepsy (PWE) has been described in high income settings where the relative risk of death is known to be higher than in the standard population. Population-based studies of injury deaths among PWE in developing countries are uncommon. Methods: A population-based verbal autopsy study in Matlab, Bangladesh, performed at a health and demographic surveillance system site (mean population 223,886 in 142 villages), was used to assess the possible causes of all deaths. All cases of accidental injury (2005-2008) were evaluated and compared between people with and without a diagnosis of epilepsy. Results: There were 12 accidental deaths among PWE (8 females, age range 12-58. years old) out of a total of 316 deaths due to accidental injuries (3.8% of all injury deaths). Causes of mortality were drowning (n = 10) and burns (n = 2). The proportion of deaths due to drowning among PWE was significantly higher than that of the standard population (83% (10/12) vs. 7% (21/304), relative risk 12.6 (95% CI, 7.7-20.7, p < 0.0001)). Mortality due to injury in PWE occurred at a younger age compared to people without epilepsy (mean difference 20.7. years (95% CI 6.7, 34.3), p < 0.004). Conclusions: There is a high proportion of accidental deaths due to drowning in PWE in Bangladesh compared to the standard population. Given the risk of seasonal flooding and low level of formal education, programs targeting water safety for PWE at all ages should be emphasized, appropriate for level of ability.
AB - Background: Accidental death in people with epilepsy (PWE) has been described in high income settings where the relative risk of death is known to be higher than in the standard population. Population-based studies of injury deaths among PWE in developing countries are uncommon. Methods: A population-based verbal autopsy study in Matlab, Bangladesh, performed at a health and demographic surveillance system site (mean population 223,886 in 142 villages), was used to assess the possible causes of all deaths. All cases of accidental injury (2005-2008) were evaluated and compared between people with and without a diagnosis of epilepsy. Results: There were 12 accidental deaths among PWE (8 females, age range 12-58. years old) out of a total of 316 deaths due to accidental injuries (3.8% of all injury deaths). Causes of mortality were drowning (n = 10) and burns (n = 2). The proportion of deaths due to drowning among PWE was significantly higher than that of the standard population (83% (10/12) vs. 7% (21/304), relative risk 12.6 (95% CI, 7.7-20.7, p < 0.0001)). Mortality due to injury in PWE occurred at a younger age compared to people without epilepsy (mean difference 20.7. years (95% CI 6.7, 34.3), p < 0.004). Conclusions: There is a high proportion of accidental deaths due to drowning in PWE in Bangladesh compared to the standard population. Given the risk of seasonal flooding and low level of formal education, programs targeting water safety for PWE at all ages should be emphasized, appropriate for level of ability.
KW - Accident
KW - Bangladesh
KW - Drowning
KW - Epilepsy
KW - Mortality
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U2 - 10.1016/j.yebeh.2011.11.028
DO - 10.1016/j.yebeh.2011.11.028
M3 - Article
C2 - 22341966
AN - SCOPUS:84858280944
SN - 1525-5050
VL - 23
SP - 291
EP - 293
JO - Epilepsy and Behavior
JF - Epilepsy and Behavior
IS - 3
ER -