The impact of depression, seizure variables and locus of control on health related quality of life in a community dwelling sample of older adults

Few studies have examined the impact of epilepsy on the quality of life of older people, although epilepsy is one of the most common neurological disorders of old age. This study investigated the association of depression, seizure type and frequency and locus of control on health related quality of life in community dwelling adults aged over 60 years. Sixty-four participants were administered a clinical diagnostic interview to assess depression and dysthymia, and completed measures of HRQOL (QOLIE-31), locus of control and provided information on seizure variables. Depression, dysthymia and more frequent seizures were important predictors of HRQOL, accounting for 63% of the variance, with dysthymia the strongest individual predictor of impaired HRQOL. This study has highlighted the negative consequences of depression, dysthymia and seizure frequency on HRQOL for older people with epilepsy. Importantly, these results indicate that rather than major depression, it is the more chronic symptoms of dysthymia that are most disruptive of HRQOL. Seizure frequency, but not seizure type, was also associated with reduced HRQOL. The results of this study suggest that clinical treatment in late adulthood should address seizure control while concurrently focusing on the management of depressive symptomatology to improve overall HRQOL.