Employment status as a major determinant for lower physical activity of patients with epilepsy: A case-control study

BackgroundPeople with epilepsy (PWE) may have a sedentary lifestyle and less physical activity (PA) as they are often advised against engaging in sports, despite plethora of evidence suggesting seizure control, major health psychosocial benefits associated PA. We aimed to investigate PWE’s beliefs on PA their level compared controls.MethodsThe Baecke questionnaire for measuring habitual adults, comprising three domains (occupational PA, leisure, locomotion), was applied 97 consecutive PWE (96.9% focal epilepsy, 39.2% well controlled pharmacological treatment) 45 healthy controls matched gender, age, socioeconomic characteristics.ResultsThe total score significantly lower than (7.6 ± 1.5 versus 8.2 1.2; p < 0.01). showed employment rate (34.0% 73.3%; 0.01), consequently occupational (p Physical exercise during sports time = 0.23) leisure activities 0.55) scores were similar between patients controls. When controls’ sociodemographic characteristics analyzed together by multiple linear regression, 21% the variation explained diagnosis (B −0.26; 0.05), years education −0.35; 0.03), status −0.41; However, alone only 4% −0.64; 0.01) variation.ConclusionThe is slightly (8% score) it be probably related among PWE.