Socioeconomic variation in incidence of epilepsy: prospective community based study in south east England.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

To determine the incidence of epilepsy in a general practice population and its variation with socioeconomic deprivation.

Design

Prospective surveillance for new cases over an 18 or 24 month period.

Participants

All patients on practice registers categorised for deprivation with the Carstairs score of their postcode.

Setting

20 general practices in London and south east England.

Main outcome measure

Confirmed diagnosis of epilepsy.

Results

190 new cases of epilepsy were identified during 369 283 person years of observation (crude incidence 51.5 (95% confidence interval 44.4 to 59.3) per 100 000 per year). The incidence was 190 (138 to 262) per 100 000 in children aged 0-4 years, 30.8 (21.3 to 44.6) in those aged 45-64 years, and 58.7 (42

SUBMITTER: Heaney DC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC131020 | biostudies-literature | 2002 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature