A comparative study of health related quality of life, psychological well-being, impact of illness and stigma in epilepsy and migraine

This study aimed to show the difference of epilepsy from another chronic neurological disorder with episodic manifestations (CDEM): migraine. Seventy persons with epilepsy (PWE), 56 persons with migraine (PWM) and 45 healthy control participants (HCs) were included. The groups were compared in terms of demographics, quality of life, depression and self-esteem. The PWE and PWM were also compared with regard to stigma, impact of the illness, disclosure, application of spiritual/traditional healing methods, limitations, most affected life areas, and restrictions. Results showed that the PWM had lower quality of life values than the PWE and the HCs, while there was no difference among the groups in depression and self-esteem. Results also show higher unemployment levels and lower marriage rates for the PWE, where education levels were equal. Although the PWM had higher impact of illness values, the PWE were shown to have higher stigma, more concealment behavior, and higher traditional/spiritual healing application ratios. Also, the PWM emphasized the importance of being “able to fulfil daily living, social and work activities”, while the PWE emphasized the need for “independence” constantly. These results indicate that, although both migraine and epilepsy are CDEMs, they have different levels of impact on patients’ lives. The impacts are socially greater in epilepsy and extend beyond the neurological condition itself.