Factors associated with the employment situation and driving license of patients with epilepsy

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: It is estimated that approximately 50% of patients with epilepsy have difficulty finding employment. OBJECTIVE: Evaluate the employment situation and driving license of patients with symptomatic or probably symptomatic focal epilepsy and correlate it with clinical and socio-demographic aspects. METHODS: Ninety-two patients were classified into 3 groups: "employed", "unemployed" and "retired/on leave". The relationship between employment and socio-demographic aspects and those of epilepsy was studied, and also whether the patients were holders of national driving licenses. RESULTS: Thirty-one (33.7%) of the patients were employed, 19 (20.7%) unemployed and 33 (35.9%) retired/on leave. Patients with formal education of less than 9 years predominated (p<0.05) in the "retired/on leave" group and non-white patients were more frequently unemployed. Of 58 patients who lost their jobs, 27 (46.6%) reported that epilepsy was the main reason (p<0.05). There was a significant relationship between the occurrence of ES at work and unemployment and "leave/retirement" (p<0.05). There was no relationship between clinical aspects and the employment situation. Nineteen (33.9%) of the 56 surveyed reported being holders of driving licenses. DISCUSSION: There was a high index of unemployment and retired/on leave individuals. There was a relationship between unemployment and the occurrence of ES at work and with a low scholastic level. CONCLUSION: The low scholastic level/professional qualifications and the stigma aggravated the employment perspectives of these individuals, contributing to their social exclusion.

Socio-demographic and clinical characteristics of Brazilian patients with epilepsy who drive and their association with traffic accidents

“…The majority of patients (76.7%) evaluated for a driving license after the diagnosis of epilepsy omitted this diagnosis to get their license. These numbers were similar to that found in another Brazilian study from Campinas [17] and well above those found in the study of Elliott and Long [18], where only 19% said that they had omitted this information [18].…”

Condições norteadoras para caracterização de incapacidade laborativa por epilepsia

“…Outros estudos revelam maiores taxas de desemprego entre epiléticos que na população geral e associam este achado a aspectos do agravo e de ordem social, tais como ocorrência de crise epilética no ambiente de trabalho e baixo nível de escolaridade 19 Considerando a magnitude da epilepsia no mundo e em países em desenvolvimento como o Brasil, suas profundas repercussões negativas sobre a qualidade de vida e capacidade laborativa dos indivíduos, a elevada frequência com que sujeitos com epilepsia se apresentam aos serviços de perícia médica pleiteando a constatação de incapacidade laborativa e as dificuldades vivenciadas pelo médico perito no momento de emitir sua decisão, justifica-se a realização do presente estudo, de modo a revisar e organizar achados de literatura sob a forma de material de apoio à tomada de decisão médico-pericial.…”