More than three million people in the United States are affected by epilepsy, with 150,000 new cases reported each year. In fact, 1 in 26 people will develop epilepsy in their lifetime. Additionally, based on a recent survey by the CDC, more than half of patients continue to have seizures despite being currently treated. But, living with epilepsy should not feel like a dead end for patients.
A new national survey developed by SK life science and fielded by Kantar Health, called “Seize the Truth About Epilepsy Perceptions (STEP)”, revealed the every-day challenges that adults with epilepsy deal with, as well as their caregivers and the healthcare professionals who treat them. The survey findings demonstrated a powerful impact on patient’s lives - not only physically, but that emotional, social, and financial consequences of epilepsy are equally serious.
Did you know?
- Patients report a much smaller percentage (45%) of their seizures than what healthcare professionals (73%) and caregivers (83%) believe are reported.
- 58% of caregivers and 47% of patients have had to take time off work in the past year due to epilepsy.
- At least 80% of patients and caregivers feel some form of isolation due to their/their loved one’s epilepsy.
MORE ABOUT DR. DANIELLE BECKER:
Dr. Danielle Becker is an educator in multiple unique settings both globally and domestically. She has travelled to Tanzania multiple times to teach clinicians and patients about general neurology and more specifically, epilepsy and its various treatments. At the University of Pennsylvania, Dr. Becker is the assistant neurology clerkship director, an associate program director of the neurology residency program, assistant program director of the Epilepsy/Neurophysiology Fellowship, and Chair of the clinical competency committee for the fellowship. Dr. Becker is a paid consultant for SK life science.
