Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 11, 2026

Identification and Classification of Position-specific GABAA Receptor Subunit Missense Variants for Their Role In Hippocampal Pyramidal Neurons
Published on: June 6, 2025
The prevalence and determinants of epilepsy in Ghana: A population-based study in two districts using a three-stage
Emmanuel Kwame Darkwa1,2,3, Sabina Asiamah1,2, Elizabeth Awini1,2
1Research and Development Division, Dodowa Health Research Centre, Accra, Ghana.
Objective:
Epilepsy imposes a disproportionate burden in Africa, yet there are no reliable epidemiological data from Ghana. This community-based cross-sectional survey addressed this gap in southeastern Ghana, incorporating an analytical comparison of confirmed cases and age- and sex-matched controls.
Methods:
We conducted a population-based cross-sectional study using a validated tool and a three-stage screening approach to estimate the prevalence of active epilepsy in the two Ghanaian districts of Shai-Osudoku and Ningo-Prampram. The three-stage approach consisted of population screening, detailed individual assessment, and clinical confirmation by specialists. To identify factors associated with epilepsy, we conducted a cross-sectional analysis comparing confirmed cases with age- and sex-matched controls randomly selected from the same population. Trained fieldworkers administered standardized questionnaires to capture sociodemographic data and historical risk exposures.
Results:
The attrition-adjusted prevalence of active epilepsy was 8.84 per 1000 people (95% confidence interval [CI]: 8.00-9.68), higher in Shai-Osudoku (12.30 per 1000) than in Ningo-Prampram, and greatest in remote rural areas. Prevalence was higher among males (10.53 per 1000) and peaked at ages 20-29 years (11.44 per 1000). The poorest quintile had a prevalence three times that of the wealthiest. In children (≤16 years), fever-related convulsions (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 94.75; 95% CI: 17.40-515.96; p < .001) and history of cerebral/severe malaria (1.03; 95% CI: 1.01-1.06; p = .003) were strongly associated with epilepsy; younger males had higher odds (2.78; 95% CI: 1.12-6.88). In adults, household members with epilepsy (6.21; 95% CI: 2.56-15.11), family history (3.55; 95% CI: 1.13-11.19), head injury (24.45; 95% CI: 3.07-194.60), and household ownership of cats (1.76; 95% CI: 1.10-2.81) or pigs (2.26; 95% CI: 1.10-4.66) were significant risk factors.
Significance:
Our findings highlight a high burden of epilepsy in southeastern Ghana, with variations observed across geographic, demographic, and socioeconomic groups. Modifiable risks such as head injury and cerebral or severe malaria highlight urgent needs for targeted prevention, improved health care access, and poverty alleviation strategies.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Epilepsy and Seizures: Overview
Various factors can trigger epilepsy, including genetic factors, brain damage, metabolic causes, and unknown etiology. Diagnosis of epilepsy involves electroencephalography (EEG), which...
Epilepsy ll: Types
Seizures: Classification
Seizures are typically classified into two main categories: focal and generalized seizures.
Focal Seizures
Focal seizures originate from specific regions of the brain. These seizures are further sub-classified into two types:
Seizures l: Introduction
Antiepileptic Drugs: GABAergic Pathway Potentiators
The key GABA pathway potentiators used in epilepsy management are as follows.
Benzodiazepines are a well-known class of drugs used for their...
Introduction to Epidemiology

