Epilepsy centers in China: Current status and ways forward

Area of Science:

• Neurology and Public Health
• Epilepsy Center Development and Healthcare Services

Background:

• China faces a significant burden due to the largest epilepsy patient population globally.
• Existing epidemiological surveys in China highlight epilepsy prevalence and treatment gaps but lack detail on epilepsy centers.
• The number of epilepsy centers has grown, necessitating an assessment of their current status.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a nationwide investigation of epilepsy centers in China.
• To assess the scale, distribution, personnel, equipment, and care capacity of these centers.
• To provide data for epilepsy service planning and policy formulation.

Main Methods:

• A multicenter, cross-sectional survey conducted in 2017-2018 across 31 provinces.
• Data collected via 74 questions covering center overview, personnel, equipment, and service capacity for the year 2016.
• Descriptive statistics were used for data analysis.

Main Results:

• In 2016, China had 358 epilepsy centers serving 1.38 billion people, primarily in tertiary hospitals in eastern and western regions.
• 9,688 doctors were involved in epilepsy care, with only 4.8% passing national electroencephalography accreditation.
• Key procedures included 9,667 resective surgeries, 888 vagus nerve stimulations, and 275 deep brain stimulations.

Conclusions:

• This is the first comprehensive survey of epilepsy centers in China.
• Despite rapid growth, current epilepsy centers are insufficient to meet patient needs.
• Findings offer crucial evidence for developing national epilepsy care policies and service planning.