Biomedical subjects

Mike Kerr

Publications and source records attributed to Mike Kerr.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2005

The presence and clinical implications of depression in a community population of adults with epilepsy.

Depression is the most common psychiatric comorbidity in epilepsy, but clinical and other factors associated with this observation and their impact on detection and management of depression in people with epilepsy are poorly understood. This study used a community-based postal questionnaire of primary care-identified people with epilepsy. We were therefore able to explore depression in a nonspecialist care-identified population. Clinical and demographic associative factors were examined. The dependent variable was depression, as defined by a score of 11 or greater on the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). The prevalence of depression in our sample (n = 499) was found to be 11.2% (95% CI: 8.3-13.7%). Depression was most strongly associated with unemployment. It was also associated with having had a recent seizure and complaints of side effects of antiepileptic medications. Depression was not associated with gender, marital status, or monotherapy or polytherapy antiepileptic medication. The prevalence of depression in epilepsy is greater than in the general population, with no associated female preponderance. Our findings underline important variations in the associative features between depression in the general population and in people with epilepsy, with particular implications for management of this comorbidity.

Adult↗

PubMed2004

Exploring the evaluation of antiepileptic drug change in people with intellectual disabilities and high-frequency epileptic seizures: seizure control and sustained responsiveness to the environment.

PURPOSE: Optimum antiepilepsy medication should be successful in reducing seizures with minimal adverse effects on the patient's ability to concentrate or general level of awareness. The purpose was to investigate the potential of a method of measuring responsiveness to environmental events as a means of reflecting awareness levels among people with intellectual disabilities undergoing review of medication for high-frequency epileptic seizures. METHODS: Observations of 22 participants referred to a specialist clinic were conducted three times a month over a 5-month period following the initial baseline measures and clinical intervention. Behavioral responsiveness was measured by calculating the likelihood of appropriate activity occurring given the occurrence of staff interaction. This likelihood was represented by the statistic Yule's Q. Seizure frequency was also evaluated. RESULTS: Participant responsiveness after drug review was similar to baseline indicating an absence of long-term adverse effects. Participants experienced a significant decrease in seizure frequency. CONCLUSION: It was concluded that drug review led to seizure reduction while behavioral measurement confirmed no loss of responsiveness.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2003

A 'real puzzle': the views of patients with epilepsy about the organisation of care.

BACKGROUND: Little is known about how individuals who have a diagnosis of epilepsy have experienced healthcare services or their views about how they should best be organised to meet their ongoing needs. METHODS: Focus group interviews. Individuals with epilepsy were identified in 5 practices in Wales: 90 were invited, 40 confirmed attendance and 19 individuals attended interviews in 5 groups of size 6, 5, 4, 3 and 1 (Table 2). INCLUSION CRITERIA: individuals with a confirmed diagnosis of epilepsy, aged between 18-65. The exclusion criteria were learning disability or an inability to travel to interview locations. RESULTS: The individuals in these group interviews were not 'epilepsy activists' yet they remained critical in extended discussions about the services encountered during their patient careers, wanting more information and advice about how to adapt to problems, particularly after initial diagnosis, more involvement in decision making, rapid access to expertise, preferably local, and improved communication between clinicians. A central concern was the tendency for concerns to be silenced, either overtly, or covertly by perceived haste, so that they felt marginalised, despite their own claims to own expert personal knowledge. CONCLUSIONS: Users of existing services for epilepsy are critical of current systems, especially the lack of attention given to providing information, psychosocial support and the wishes of patients to participate in decision making. Any reorganisation of services for individuals with epilepsy should take into account these perceived problems as well as try to reconcile the tension between the distant and difficult to access expertise of specialists and the local but unconfident support of generalists. The potential benefit of harnessing information technology to allow better liaison should be investigated.

Delivery of Health Care↗

PubMed2003

Health indicators for people with intellectual disabilities: a European perspective.

People with intellectual disabilities make up about 1% of the population of Europe. As trends toward community life advance, they have become more visible and more likely to access generic health systems. Yet evidence suggests that there are striking disparities between the health of this group and that of the general population. Increased longevity means that adults in this group expect to live longer lives and thus to encounter age-related risks for various health conditions. The 'Pomona' project, funded by the EU Health Monitoring Unit, aims to develop a set of health indicators for people with intellectual disabilities. It will build on the work accomplished by the team developing ECHI--European Community Health Indicators. This article outlines the rationale for the project, key elements in its implementation and expected outcomes.

Demography↗

PubMed2003

Epilepsy and behaviour.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Whilst behaviour disorder is so commonly a challenge to physicians in the field of epilepsy, comparatively little is known of its exact association with the epilepsies. This review highlights advances in knowledge, focussing on a broad definition of behaviour to include psychiatric pathology. RECENT FINDINGS: Differential rates of disturbance appear to be associated with concurrent intellectual disability. Advances in imaging, in particular, suggest that structural brain changes may underlie the increased susceptibility in some epilepsy patients. SUMMARY: Clinical practice should recognize that, with the possible exception of seizure freedom in postictal behavioural disturbance, epilepsy treatment alone is unlikely to treat the associated psychological and behavioural disturbance. Research continues to focus on assessing the correlates of epilepsy and psychopathology whilst the association between epilepsy and behaviour disorder in people with an intellectual disability remains largely unknown.

Anxiety↗