"In the time it takes to read this page at least l person in the U.K. will have had an epileptic seizure.  Worldwide, epilepsy affects around 50 million people and 2million new cases are reported every year.  Epilepsy is the world's most common; yet treatable - brain disorder, but even today in the 21st century, due to a lack of knowledge and understanding, the condition still carries a stigma and people with epilepsy are often discriminated against by their communities, schools, workplaces, and even medical services, where there are low levels of research and funding compared with other comparable chronic conditions.

Epilepsy: Change believes very strongly that epilepsy must be brought out of the shadows and that openness and truth must replace ignorance. People with epilepsy have rights:  the right to respect, the right to equal life opportunities, and the right to the same level of medical resources as people with other common conditions such as asthma or diabetes.  We know that, thankfully, in some countries, attitudes towards epilepsy have changed  over the last few decades and that people are talking more openly about their condition and having their needs acknowledged and provided for. However, there is still a long way to go and many people with epilepsy are still suffering because of their condition, as can be seen from the following:

RESPECT: 
    Question: 
     Does epilepsy still have a stigma?

• Answer: 77.56% "YES"  11.95% "no"  9.12% "unsure"

• "He really ought to have had it (epilepsy) reviewed more often but he kept quiet about it because he was afraid of losing his job really" (source, Epilepsy Bereaved 2002)

• "I live a normal life in all respects but understand I live life with some limitation yet this epilepsy is viewed by some as a 'disease' which requires a measure of pity on their part" (respondent, age 30, Epilepsy: The Information)

• 'Every year official figures report about 1000 people in the U.K. die as a result of epilepsy.  This is more than the combined mortality figures for Cot Death (SIDS) and AIDS/HIV.  Nevertheless, epilepsy is a 'Cinderella Condition.

• 'Five U.K. Government Reports over 50 years have identified serious shortfalls in epilepsy service provision but there has been little action.' (Joint Epilepsy Council, U.K. 2002)

• "They never called him up, I thought this is what G.P.'s are for. They deal with smear tests and with diabetic people, why are epileptic people different?" (source, Epilepsy Bereaved 2002)

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Published on: 2007-05-14 (3330 reads)