Research in Medicine

Background : Anxiety is a frequent complication among epileptic patients which is usually disregarded or treated incompletely. The negligence in timely diagnosis and treatment may cause major subsequences. This study was achieved to determine the prevalence of anxiety among epileptic patients.

Methods : During this descriptive study, 138 patients referred to the Neurology Clinic in Imam Hossein Hospital and Iranian Epilepsy Society were enrolled. Patients were assessed by SCL-90-R (symptoms check list- 90- revised) and demographic questionnaires.

Results : It was revealed that 44.9% of the epileptic patients suffered from anxiety. Anxiety was more prevalent among unmarried jobless women as well as those with generalized epilepsy.

Conclusion : Anxiety is more frequent among epileptic patients than general population. This attracts the attention of physicians for timely diagnosis and effective treatment of this curable disorder.