Epilepsy care cascade, treatment gap and its determinants in rural South Africa

Epilepsy is a common neurologic disorder that currently affects more than 50 million people globally with at least 80% of cases found in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) [1,2]. Whilst pharmacologic treatment results in seizure freedom in roughly 70% of patients with epilepsy [3], the number of individuals diagnosed with epilepsy and receiving and correctly taking anti-seizure medication (ASM) in LMICs remains low. A 2014 review found that 59% of people with epilepsy in sub-Saharan Africa do not receive any treatment and only 33% of patients who do receive treatment are managed appropriately [4].
Source: Seizure: European Journal of Epilepsy - Category: Neurology Authors: Source Type: research