Depression severity mediates the impact of perceived stigma on quality of life in patients with epilepsy.

Abstract Objective To determine whether and the extent to which depression severity mediates the impact of perceived stigma on quality of life in patients with epilepsy (PWE). Methods A consecutive cohort of 165 PWE was invited to participate in this study. Each participant completed the Kilifi Stigma Scale of Epilepsy (KSSE), Depression Inventory for Epilepsy (NDDI-E), and Quality of Life in Epilepsy Inventory (QOLIE-31). Mediation analysis was employed to assess whether depression severity mediates the relationship between perceived stigma and quality of life. Results Perceived stigma was positively associated with depression severity and negatively associated with quality of life in PWE. The mediation analysis confirmed that perceived stigma had an indirect effect on the quality of life through the mediating variable of depression severity in PWE (B = −0.576, SE = 0.097, Bootstrap95% CI = −0.784 to −0.405). The indirect effects of perceived stigma on quality of life through depression severity accounted for 57.7% of the total effects of perceived stigma on quality of life. Conclusion This study provided evidence that depression severity mediates the impact that perceived stigma has on quality of life, indicating that assessment of and interventions targeting depression may be appropriate for PWE.