Abstract:
Background: Epilepsy is a paroxysmal disorder in which a person has two or more unprovoked
seizures. A seizure results from an abnormal electrical discharge and the clinical manifestations vary
greatly. Seizure manifestations range from brief sensory experience, to microsecond lapses in
concentration, to convulsive status epilepticus.
Objective : To assess risk factors of epilepsy and stigma experienced by patients
and relative of people with epilepsy in Me’enit tribe Bench Maji Zone in 2011
Methods and materials: Community based matched case-control study was conducted, in Me’enit
tribe from March-April/2011 G.C.A sample of 114 cases and 114 controls, a total of 228 study subject
were selected from the source population. Cases were people living with epilepsy or people who have a
history of two unprovoked seizure confirmed by experienced medical doctor and Controls were people
confirmed not to have epilepsy by a experienced medical doctor. By using standard questionnaires the
data about risk factors and social stigma from these confirmed case’s and controls were collected by 2
experienced physicians and 2 diploma nurse translators. The historical details and the seizure patterns
were obtained through interviews with each case and accompanying relative. Data were edited, recoded
and entered in to computer and analyzed using Epi-info version 3.4.3 windows for the matching
analysis.
Result: Those risk factors found to be significantly associated with epilepsy by bivariate analysis were
entered into multiple logistic regression models with conditional logistic regression method, with
probability for entry of the variables fixed at 0.05.In the final multivariate model, family history of
epilepsy (OR=12.13, 95%CI 3.26-45.1 P = 0.0002), and a history of febrile seizures (OR=4.21, 95%CI
1.0-16.20 P = 0.03), emerged as strong independent predictors of epilepsy.
Conclusion and Recommendations: In conclusion, this population-based case–control study identified
family history of epilepsy, and antecedent history of febrile seizures as strong independent predictors of
epilepsy, Pork consumption, outdoor defecation and latrine availability were prevalent in the study area.
. The information that adverse fibril seizure increased the risk of epilepsy by four fold suggests that
much of the epilepsy in Me’enit community may be preventable by improved maternal, neonatal and
child care and it is recommended that MOH at different level and stakeholders should work on it.
