First AEP Health Economics paper published

Data from the AEP’s pilot participants spanned three cohorts: first unprovoked seizure (FUS), newly diagnosed (NDE) and drug-resistant epilepsy (DRE), in adults aged 18-65 years. Baseline clinicodemographic information was collected from the participants and they completed questionnaires to assess their quality of life, work productivity and care needs.

This recently published paper [Work productivity, quality of life and care needs: An unfolding epilepsy burden revealed in the Australian Epilepsy Project pilot study paper] has identified the care burden faced by working-age Australians living with epilepsy, and found those living with focal drug-resistant epilepsy had lower quality of life scores and were less likely to participate in paid employment compared to those with a new diagnosis of epilepsy.

Other key insights of the study include:

·     Epilepsy may substantially impact quality of life and work productivity, causing varying levels of required care.

·     Almost one in five people in the study’s cohorts required informal care from family and friends.

·     The health economic burden of epilepsy varies with different stages of the disorder.

Success of the pilot study has led to the AEP securing $30mil in funding from the Medical Research Future Fund, enabling transition to a five-year main study.

The study results will assist researchers to measure the impact of the AEP on important personal and societal health economic outcomes for working-age Australians.

The Australian Epilepsy Project is made possible through the combined support of The Florey and the University of Melbourne and is funded by the Medical Research Future Fund.

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