Epilepsy in High-Crime Neighborhoods

Orange County, CA - December 5th, 2018 -  New research from the University of Illinois in Chicago found that people with epilepsy living in high crime neighborhoods had three times as many seizures as those living in communities with lower crime ratesin the city limits of Chicago.

"We found that people living with epilepsy who live in high-crime neighborhoods experienced significantly more seizures. On average, people in high-crime neighborhoods had three seizures versus one for people living in low-crime neighborhoods when we looked back over the last 30 days. Over the course of 90 days, people in high-crime neighborhoods had seven seizures on average compared to three for those living in low-crime neighborhoods, so the link between crime and seizure activity is significant,” said Jessica Levy, a research coordinator in the UIC department of neurology.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 3.4 million people in the United States have active epilepsy. Epilepsy is a neurological disorder which nerve cell activity in the brain is disturbed, causing seizures. Treating epilepsy can be as simple as taking medication; however, 30 percent of people will continue to have seizures despite treatment due to medication-resistant epilepsy. Others may require invasive surgical therapies.

Epilepsy in High-Crime Neighborhoods

The study included 63 adults that have epilepsy living in Chicago. Crime levels in the neighborhood of each participant were determined by the researchers mapping their zip codes to specific areas and then cross-referencing them with the local crime rates available through the City of Chicago Police data portal. The participants reported each seizer they had in the past month to three months.

The study found no overall association between neighborhood crime status and the duration of epilepsy or between crime status and poverty. “Understanding the impact of violence and crime as potential triggers for seizures underscores the need for further research that might allow clinicians to make better-informed recommendations for self-management education and stress management skills," said Dr. Dilip Pandey, associate professor of neurology and rehabilitation at UIC and an investigator on the study.

The study was presented in New Orleans, at the American Epilepsy Society annual meeting on November 29, 2018. Usually, studies presented in annual meetings are considered preliminary, until published in a peer-reviewed medical journal.

Contact Ampronix:

Ampronix Medical Blog - Ampronix News

Email: info@ampronix.com 

International Sales: +1 949-273-8000

Domestic Sales: 1800-400-7972 for US and Canada

Follow Us:

FacebookTwitterLinkedIn

Share This Article:

TwitterFacebookLinkedIn

View our Product Catalog Online Here

 

About Ampronix

Ampronix is a renowned authorized master distributor of the medical industry's top brands as well as a world-class manufacturer of innovative technology. Since 1982, Ampronix has been dedicated to meeting the growing needs of the medical community with its extensive product knowledge, outstanding service, and state-of-the-art repair facility. Ampronix prides itself on its ability to offer tailored, one-stop solutions at a faster and more cost-effective rate than other manufacturers. Ampronix is an ISO & ANSI/ESD certified facility. To learn more go here.

Epilepsy in High-Crime Neighborhoods Orange County, CA – December 5th, 2018 –  New research from the University of Illinois in Chicago found that people with epilepsy living in high crime neighborhoods had three times as many seizures as those living in communities with lower crime ratesin the city limits of Chicago. “We found that people living with […]