Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work & Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. esme.fuller.thomson@utoronto.ca
To determine the: (1) national prevalence of epilepsy and depression; (2) prevalence of depression among those with epilepsy; (3) odds ratio of depression among those with epilepsy compared to those without, controlling for demographic characteristics; (4) demographic correlates of depression among those with epilepsy and those without; and, (5) health services utilization of those with epilepsy and depression.
The full sample of the nationally representative 2000/2001 Canadian Community Health Survey (n = 130,880) was used to determine prevalence of epilepsy and depression. A subsample of 781 individuals reporting an epilepsy diagnosis and with complete depression data was used to determine prevalence and correlates of depression, and health service utilization patterns. Correlates of depression among those without epilepsy (n = 126,104) were also determined. Chi-square analyses, t-tests, prevalence ratios, and a logistic regression were conducted.
Thirteen percent of those with epilepsy were depressed, in comparison to 7% of those without (p