An epidemiological survey of epilepsy in tropical rural areas of China

Epilepsy is a chronic neurological disease that is characterized by seizures. Seizure episodes, stigma, and high medical costs associated with this condition caused significant psychological distress. This study aimed to evaluate epidemiological characteristics and treatment status of epilepsy in individuals existing in the tropical rural areas of Hainan Province of China.

A household survey on epilepsy was conducted among the rural population of Chengmai County, Danzhou City, Baoting Autonomous County (Li and Miao nationalities), and Dingan County in Hainan Province, China. A screening questionnaire based on the standard screening questionnaires of the World Health Organization (WHO) was designed and a screening instrument of International Community-based Epilepsy Research Group was used. Individuals suspected or previously diagnosed with epilepsy were reexamined by an experienced neurologist. Further clinical data were collected from subjects with confirmed diagnosis of epilepsy.

This study included 16 676 subjects with 8827 men (52.93%) and 7849 women (47.07%). Majority of the study subjects included were of Han Chinese (N = 13 145, 78.83%), and the remaining were of Li minority ethnicity. The incidence of epilepsy was 0.24 per 1000, and the total prevalence of active epilepsy was 2.33 per 1000. The prevalence of epilepsy in the Han and Li nationalities was 3.27 and 2.27 per 1000, respectively, which was shown to be higher in people aged ≥ 60. The initial onset of epilepsy tended to trigger among children aged between 0 and 9 years old. Initial assessment revealed that the treatment gap for active epilepsy was 58.97%, and stroke is shown as the most common cause of symptomatic epilepsy.

The prevalence and incidence of epilepsy in tropical rural areas of Hainan Province were close to those of the earlier findings that are reported in other regions of China and lower than those remaining in the tropical areas around the world. There exists a huge treatment gap for active epilepsy, which indicates an urgent need for a rational intervention strategy.