Many people with epilepsy want to know more: a qualitative study

Abstract

The UK government plans to provide better services for those with epilepsy but, without enough money to employ more specialists, the information needs of patients may not be met. For concordance to work effectively doctors need to be aware of what patients think about their drugs, and patients need more information about treatment options. They also need more time to discuss the causes of epilepsy in order to reduce stigma and fear. Since time in consultations is short, clinicians should inform patients about epilepsy organisations, and direct them to websites such as the DIPEx (Personal Experiences of Health and Illness) epilepsy website (www.dipex.org/epilepsy), which focuses on patients' experiences of epilepsy and provides reliable information about medicines, other treatments, and resources.