The association of epilepsy with psychiatric disorder, behaviour disturbance and carer stress [Abstract]

To of adults with intellectual disabilities anddetermine the prevalence and features of epilepsy in a community- based population explore whether the presence of epilepsy was associated with greater psychopathology or carer strain. Methods: Data were collected on the age, gender, place of residence, adaptive and challenging behaviour, social abilities and psychiatric status of 318 adults from 40 general practices, together with the degree of malaise and strain of family carers. For participants with epilepsy, information on seizures, investigations, treatment and carer concerns were collected. Association between epilepsy and psychiatric morbidity, challenging behaviour and caregiver malaise or strain was explored. Results: Fifty-eight participants (18%) had epilepsy: 26% were seizure free but 34% had extremely poorly controlled seizures. Earlier onset and seizure frequency were associated with adaptive behaviour. Carer concerns were related to seizure frequency and a history of injury. There were no significant differences in psychopathology, carer malaise or caregiver strain between the matched epilepsy and non-epilepsy groups. Conclusions: While psychopathology and carer strain is common within this population, underlying disability-related factors appear to be more important than the presence of epilepsy per se.