Prevalence and determinants of depression in patients with epilepsy during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

Background: Epilepsy is one of the commonest and most serious neurological conditions. It is frequently associated with one or more medical or psychiatric comorbidities. Depression is one of the most common comorbidities. Patients with epilepsy (PWE) are expected to suffer from a high level of depression during the COVID-19 pandemic. This cross-sectional study was applied to 290 PWE. Data was collected by personal interviews with each patient using the Patient Health Questionnaire 9 (PHQ 9) scale for the diagnosis of depression and assessing its severity. We aimed to assess the prevalence and the risk factors of depression in PWE during the COVID-19 pandemic. Results: We found that 70.3% of PWE suffered from depression. Low financial status, refractory seizures, fear of infection and death by COVID-19, had close relatives died by COVID-19, had a sleep disturbance, a decreased family support, increased seizure rate during the pandemic, increased ER visits during the pandemic, lack of drug adherence, and decreased epilepsy-related follow-up visits during the pandemic were significantly associated with increased risk of depression in PWE during the pandemic. Conclusions: The COVID-19 pandemic has a serious effect on the psychological and physical well-being of PWE. There was an increased rate of depression during the COVID-19 pandemic in PWE with its subsequent burden on those patients. So, these patients are in a high need of care and support during the pandemic.