European Journal of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences

INCIDENCE AND PREVALENCE OF EPILEPSY IN A MAPPED DISTRICT OF SOUTHERN NIGERIA; A PRELIMINARY STUDY

Erigbali P. P.*, Kiridi E. G., Joffa P. K. and Dabirilagha O. F.

ABSTRACT

A target population drawn from a mapped district in Bayelsa state, Nigeria was studied for the incidence and prevalence of epilepsy, base on observational data analysis at a Diagnostic Center. The data from 2016 to 2022 were investigated. In accordance with the World Health Organization selection and classification procedure for epilepsy, (114) diagnosed cases of epilepsy was identified from the data in which a total population of (217) persons aged between (< 1 year) and (78 years) was investigated. Incidence and prevalence were calculated using standard procedure, and chi-square statistical tool IBM SPSS Version 21 was applied to analyze observed data, whether the occurrence of epilepsy and its spread along different age (biological stages of development) category of the population is statistically significant or not by chance. The general incidence and prevalence of epilepsy was (0.075 or 75 cases/ 1000 people -year) and (52.5%) in that order. A predominance of epilepsy (35%) was found among children - age category (< 1 to 9 years). Meanwhile, adolescents – age category 10 to 19 years were 31% and adults – age range 20 to 59 years were 30%. The elderly – age range 60 - 65 years and above were 4%. Among participants who did not have epilepsy, 20% was children in the age range < 1 to 9 years, 30% was adolescents of age range 10 to 19 years, 28% was adults aged between 20 – 59 years, and 4% was elderly people aged within 60 to 65 years and above. The result suggests prevalence in epilepsy that requires attention of researchers, health policy managers and relevant health professionals. Also it implies predominance of epilepsy among children, which agrees with some other reports. However, the age – spread in diagnosis of epilepsy from the study population’s observed data was not statistically significant.

Keywords: Incidence, prevalence, epilepsy, EEG, CT-Scan, age.