Performing epilepsy surgery on underserved Hispanic patients with intractable epilepsy relieves their depression and anxiety and improves their quality of life, according to study of 47 patients between 2008 and 2014.
- Hispanic patients, most of whom were immigrant and Spanish speaking, were treated at a comprehensive epilepsy center in an urban public health setting.
- They underwent presurgical and postsurgical neuropsychological evaluation and were identified retrospectively.
- Medium to large improvements on the Beck Depression Inventory and most quality of care scales were observed postsurgery.
- Less robust effects were also seen on the Beck Anxiety Inventory.
Smith JA, Armacost M, Ensign E, et al. Epilepsy surgery in the underserved Hispanic population improves depression, anxiety, and quality of life. Epilepsy Behav. 2018;83:1-6. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.yebeh.2018.03.015
