Determination of health fatalism and the factors affecting health fatalism in patients with epilepsy in the North of Turkey

•Individuals with epilepsy have high levels of health fatalism.•Polytherapy affects individuals’ levels of health fatalism.•Frequency of seizures and level of education affects health fatalism. In individuals with epilepsy, health fatalism can affect their perceptions of health and their responses to solutions offered, both positively and negatively. This study aimed to investigate health fatalism in people with epilepsy in Turkey and the factors that influence their health fatalism. This descriptive and cross-sectional study was conducted between December 2019 and April 2020 with 100 epilepsy patients who were referred to a neurology outpatient clinic in the North of Turkey. The data for the study were collected using a descriptive information form and the Health Fatalism Scale (HES). The total mean score on the Health Fatalism Scale for the study participants was found to be 56,16 ± 15,71. Significant association was found between health fatalism and educational status (p