Epilepsy & behavior : E&B
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Epilepsy & behavior : E&B · Nov 2020
An accelerated shift in the use of remote systems in epilepsy due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The purpose of the study was to describe epileptologists' opinion on the increased use of remote systems implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic across clinics, education, and scientific meetings activities. ⋯ The COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically altered how academic epileptologists carry out their core missions of clinical care, medical education, and scientific discovery and dissemination. Close attention to the impact of these changes is merited.
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Epilepsy & behavior : E&B · Nov 2020
COVID-19 containment and its unrestrained impact on epilepsy management in resource-limited areas of Pakistan.
The current pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) that led to an unprecedented crisis with significant health, social, and economic repercussions presented more serious concerns for those living with some chronic conditions such as epilepsy. This study was aimed to find out impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on management of epilepsy. A cross-sectional study was conducted through telephone interviews, targeting 213 caregivers of pediatric patients with epilepsy, belonging to underserved areas of Faisalabad, Punjab, Pakistan. ⋯ Furthermore, knowledge about alternative ways to access health facilities was found very poor among caregivers. Income sources of poor people disrupted by lockdown can lead to unintentional nonadherence to medication, which is a clear picture of inequitable distribution of resources. This study highlights the major issues faced by the caregivers during this ongoing pandemic of COVID-19.
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Epilepsy & behavior : E&B · Nov 2020
Mapping epilepsy-specific patient-reported outcome measures for children to a proposed core outcome set for childhood epilepsy.
The objectives of the study were to (1) map questions in epilepsy-specific patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) of children's health-related quality of life (HRQoL) to a proposed core outcome set (COS) for childhood epilepsy research and (2) gain insight into the acceptability of two leading candidate PROMs. ⋯ Mapping items from existing epilepsy-specific PROMs for children is an important step in operationalizing our COS for childhood epilepsy research, alongside evaluation of their measurement properties. Two leading PROMS, QOLCE-55 and CHEQOL, cover a wide range of domains from our COS and would likely be used in conjunction with assessment tools selected for specific study objectives. The PPIE work provided practical insights into the administration and acceptability of candidate PROMs in appropriate context. We promote our COS as a framework for selecting outcomes and PROMs for future childhood epilepsy evaluative research.
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Epilepsy & behavior : E&B · Nov 2020
SARS-CoV-2-related rapid reorganization of an epilepsy outpatient clinic from personal appointments to telemedicine services: A German single-center experience.
When the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic reached Europe in 2020, a German governmental order forced clinics to immediately suspend elective care, causing a problem for patients with chronic illnesses such as epilepsy. Here, we report the experience of one clinic that converted its outpatient care from personal appointments to telemedicine services. ⋯ Understanding and acceptance of elective ambulatory visit cancelations and the conversion to telemedicine consultations was high during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) lockdown. Patients who engaged in telemedicine consultations were highly satisfied, supporting the feasibility and potential of telemedicine during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.
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Epilepsy & behavior : E&B · Nov 2020
Access to healthcare and prevalence of anxiety and depression in persons with epilepsy during the COVID-19 pandemic: A multicountry online survey.
The objective of this study was to assess access to healthcare and to estimate the prevalence of depression and anxiety among persons with epilepsy (PWE) during the ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. ⋯ Innovative approaches are needed to ensure continuity in access to ASM treatment. Healthcare workers should ensure continued follow-up, either through inperson or telehealth appointments, to timely identify symptoms of anxiety and depression and act accordingly.