The impact of epilepsy on quality of life: Findings from a European survey

•The physical/mental health of people with epilepsy (PWE) is impacted by epilepsy.•Epilepsy affects PWE’s ability to carry out daily, work, and social activities.•PWE on three or more antiseizure medications are particularly affected.•Mood disorders might be under-recognized in PWE. Epilepsy is a serious neurological disorder affecting the quality of life (QoL) of people with this condition. A survey was conducted in five European countries (France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the UK) to understand the impact and burden of epilepsy and its treatment on the lives of people with epilepsy (PWE). Five hundred PWE (taking >1 antiseizure medication [ASM]) and 500 matched controls completed a 30-minute online questionnaire. The 12-Item Short Form Survey (SF-12) was used to measure QoL and the Neurological Disorders Depression Inventory for Epilepsy (NDDI-E) was used to screen for major depressive disorder (MDD) symptoms. Comorbidities such as migraine, high cholesterol, osteoporosis, and Type 1 diabetes were reported more commonly in PWE, while anxiety disorders, high blood pressure, skin disorders, and mood disorders were more common in controls. However, compared to controls, a significantly higher percentage of PWE had an NDDI-E score of 15–24 (54% vs 35%; p