Determinants and levels of depression among young adult patients with epilepsy: a cross-sectional study in a Tertiary Care Hospital, Tamilnadu, India

Background: People with epilepsy tend to have more psychological problems, including anxiety and depression. Similarly, a three times higher risk of premature death was prevailed (or expected) in people with epilepsy than that in the general population. The main objective of this study is to analyze the determinants and the levels of depression in young adult patients with epilepsy. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in a tertiary care medical hospital and research center, in Chennai, Tamilnadu. Forty-one young adults aged 18–25 years with a diagnosis of epilepsy willing to participate were included based on inclusive criteria. A general information questionnaire and Zung self-rating depression scale (SRDS) were used to analyze the study. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews and evaluated using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software to test the P -value significance. Results: 39.0% of patients felt downhearted or blue most of the time. The majority of male (44.4%) and female (85.8%) patients stated that they were in moderate depression (the score range was from 60 to 69). There was an association between variables of age groups, family income, number of comorbidities, and last episode of seizure with the level of depression among young adult patients significant at, P -value < 0.01. Conclusion: This study revealed that to remove the stigma of epilepsy, raising awareness in society and educational campaigns about epilepsy may be helpful. Thus, efforts should be undertaken to control seizures, reduce depression, and improve the overall quality of life of young adult patients.