Uncovering the Key Influencers of Healthy Lifestyle Behaviors in Patients With Epilepsy: A Cross-Sectional Study

Epilepsy is a chronic neurological disorder that affects daily functioning beyond seizure control. Adopting health-promoting lifestyle behaviors is essential for effective self-management; however, evidence on the key modifiable factors influencing these behaviors in adults with epilepsy remains limited. This study aimed to identify determinants of health-promoting lifestyle behaviors and inform nurse-led lifestyle interventions.

This cross-sectional descriptive study included 160 adults with epilepsy attending a university hospital in eastern Turkey (November 2023-May 2024). Data were collected using a sociodemographic/clinical questionnaire and the health-promoting lifestyle profile II (HPLP-II), which assesses health responsibility, physical activity, nutrition, spiritual growth, interpersonal relations, and stress management. Group comparisons were performed using t-tests and one-way ANOVA, and independent predictors of HPLP-II total score were examined using multiple linear regression.

The mean HPLP-II total score was 124.07 ± 25.49, indicating an overall moderate level of health-promoting lifestyle behaviors. Subscale scores were highest for interpersonal relations (25.04 ± 5.59) and spiritual growth (24.72 ± 5.98), whereas physical activity was the lowest domain (13.74 ± 4.99). Nutrition scores (19.99 ± 4.97) were also lower than those for interpersonal relations and spiritual growth. Higher total scores were observed among women, married participants, those with higher education, and those with better perceived health status and diet adherence (p < 0.05). In the regression model, gender, self-rated health status, diet adherence, and perceived diet status significantly predicted HPLP-II total score (R² = 0.360; F = 3.501, p = 0.001).

Adults with epilepsy demonstrated only moderate engagement in health-promoting behaviors, with physical activity emerging as the most vulnerable domain. Targeted, nurse-led interventions that include structured lifestyle education, individualized physical activity planning, diet adherence monitoring, and medication adherence counseling may help overcome condition-specific barriers and improve long-term self-management.