• DOI:10.1111/j.1528-1167.2011.03121.x
• Corpus ID: 8505004

Standards for epidemiologic studies and surveillance of epilepsy

@article{Thurman2011StandardsFE,
  title={Standards for epidemiologic studies and surveillance of epilepsy},
  author={David J Thurman and Ettore Beghi and Charles Begley and Anne T. Berg and Jeffrey R Buchhalter and Ding Ding and Dale C. Hesdorffer and Willard A Hauser and Lewis E. Kazis and Rosemarie Kobau and Barbara L Kroner and David M Labiner and Kore Kai Liow and Giancarlo Logroscino and M. T. Medina and Charles Rjc Newton and Karen L. Parko and Angelia M. Paschal and Pierre-Marie Preux and Josemir W Sander and Anbesaw Wolde Selassie and William H. Theodore and Torbj{\"o}rn Tomson and Samuel Wiebe},
  journal={Epilepsia},
  year={2011},
  volume={52}
}

• D. Thurman, E. Beghi, +21 authors S. Wiebe
• Published 1 September 2011
• Medicine, Psychology
• Epilepsia

Worldwide, about 65 million people are estimated to have epilepsy. Epidemiologic studies are necessary to define the full public health burden of epilepsy; to set public health and health care priorities; to provide information needed for prevention, early detection, and treatment; to identify education and service needs; and to promote effective health care and support programs for people with epilepsy. However, different definitions and epidemiologic methods complicate the tasks of these studies and their interpretations and comparisons. The purpose of this document is to promote consistency in definitions and methods in an effort to enhance future population‐based epidemiologic studies, facilitate comparison between populations, and encourage the collection of data useful for the promotion of public health. We discuss: (1) conceptual and operational definitions of epilepsy, (2) data resources and recommended data elements, and (3) methods and analyses appropriate for epidemiologic studies or the surveillance of epilepsy. Variations in these are considered, taking into account differing resource availability and needs among countries and differing purposes among studies.