NON-COMPLIANCE TO ANTI-EPILEPTIC TREATMENT: REASONS AND FACTS. -

OBJECTIVE: To determine the reasons for non- compliance with treatment in epileptic patients.

STUDY DESIGN: Descriptive.

PLACE AND DURATION OF STUDY: Department of Medicine Peoples Medical College Hospital Nawabshah from 1-1-2008 to 31-12-2009.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: Ninety six known cases of epilepsy with poor control of seizures due to non-compliance with Anti-Epileptic Drugs (AED) were enrolled. The reasons for non-compliance as described by the patients in their own words were documented. All such cases were admitted in the medical ward so that the subsequent compliance can be monitored. Routine lab. work, EEG, CT Scan of brain were done in all cases.

RESULTS: Of the ninety six cases, 92 were males and 4 were females. Age ranged from 15-35 years. Majority (83.3%) never attended a school. Most of them were the residents of small rural communities. All cases had generalized tonic-clonic seizures (grand mal epilepsy). In 41.7% poverty was the reason for discontinuing the therapy. Another 41.7% patients stopped taking AED on improvement. 12.5% considered epilepsy as a