Written Accounts of Living With Epilepsy or Psychogenic Nonepileptic Seizures: A Thematic Comparison

This study examines the subjective experience of living with epilepsy or psychogenic nonepileptic seizures (PNES) by thematically comparing individuals’ written accounts of their condition. Five key differences emerged. Theme 1: “Seizure onset” revealed differences in how individuals think about and ruminate over the possible causes of their condition. Theme 2: “Emotive tone” demonstrated that writings of those with epilepsy reflected stable emotions (no intense emotional reactions), whereas those of writers with PNES reflected anxiety and low mood. Theme 3: “Seizure symptoms” showed differences in the conceptualization of seizures. Theme 4: “Treatment” explored differences in the diagnostic journey and experiences of health care professionals. Theme 5: “Daily life” revealed that those with epilepsy perceived sequelae and seizures as something that must be fought, whereas those with PNES tended to describe their seizures as a place they enter and something that has destroyed their lives. The findings have implications for treatment and management.

Download Full-text

Medical health care utilization cost of patients presenting with psychogenic nonepileptic seizures

Epilepsia ◽

10.1111/epi.14625 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 60 (2) ◽

pp. 349-357 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Udaya Seneviratne ◽

Zhi Mei Low ◽

Zhi Xuen Low ◽

Angela Hehir ◽

Sahira Paramaswaran ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Health Care ◽

Health Care Utilization ◽

Care Utilization ◽

Psychogenic Nonepileptic Seizures ◽

Medical Health Care ◽

Nonepileptic Seizures ◽

Medical Health ◽

Utilization Cost

Download Full-text

Newly diagnosed psychogenic nonepileptic seizures: Health care demand prior to and following diagnosis at a first seizure clinic

Epilepsy & Behavior ◽

10.1016/j.yebeh.2011.10.009 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 23 (1) ◽

pp. 7-9 ◽

Cited By ~ 47

Author(s):

Saif Razvi ◽

Sharon Mulhern ◽

Roderick Duncan

Keyword(s):

Health Care ◽

Newly Diagnosed ◽

Health Care Demand ◽

Psychogenic Nonepileptic Seizures ◽

Nonepileptic Seizures

Download Full-text

Health care practitioners’ perceptions of psychogenic nonepileptic seizures: A systematic review of qualitative and quantitative studies

Epilepsia ◽

10.1111/epi.14189 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 59 (6) ◽

pp. 1109-1123 ◽

Cited By ~ 16

Author(s):

Gregg H. Rawlings ◽

Markus Reuber

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Health Care ◽

Psychogenic Nonepileptic Seizures ◽

Qualitative And Quantitative ◽

Quantitative Studies ◽

Health Care Practitioners ◽

Nonepileptic Seizures

Download Full-text

Health Care Utilization of Patients With Psychogenic Nonepileptic Seizures

Psychosomatics ◽

10.1016/s0033-3182(97)71398-7 ◽

1997 ◽

Vol 38 (6) ◽

pp. 535-542 ◽

Cited By ~ 18

Author(s):

Lois E. Krahn ◽

Michael M. Reese ◽

Teresa A. Rummans ◽

Gerald C. Peterson ◽

Vera J. Suman ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Health Care ◽

Health Care Utilization ◽

Care Utilization ◽

Psychogenic Nonepileptic Seizures ◽

Nonepileptic Seizures

Download Full-text

“Who Would Sexually Assault an 80-Year-Old Woman?” Barriers to Exploring and Exposing Sexual Assault Against Women in Late Life

Journal of Interpersonal Violence ◽

10.1177/0886260520934440 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 088626052093444

Author(s):

Hadass Goldblatt ◽

Tova Band-Winterstein ◽

Sagit Lev ◽

Dovrat Harel

Keyword(s):

Health Care ◽

Sexual Assault ◽

Social Exclusion ◽

Health Care Professionals ◽

Complex Trauma ◽

Research Question ◽

Late Life ◽

Emotional Reactions ◽

Research Attention ◽

Conspiracy Of Silence

The phenomenon of Sexual Assault against Women in Late Life (SAWLL) has received increasing research attention in recent years. Yet, there is still only scant knowledge on it, compared with research on the sexual assault of younger women. Sexual assault is considered a sensitive topic, generally characterized by a conspiracy of silence. The aim of this article is to explore the barriers that hinder the identification and exposure of SAWLL, as reported by professionals. The research question was as follows: How do welfare and health care professionals present the motives and processes that obstruct exploring, exposing, and intervening in cases of SAWLL? A qualitative research design was used. Participants were 18 experienced welfare and health care professionals engaged in intervention with sexual assault in late life victims as well as offenders. Data were collected through in-depth, semi-structured interviews, which were later transcribed and thematically analyzed. Four themes emerged from the data analysis: (a) Leading Negative Emotions, (b) Lack of Language, (c) Implications of Cumulative and Complex Trauma, and (d) Social Exclusion. Women and professionals alike undergo complementary processes involving silence and silencing. These processes construct a “wall” of barriers, requiring professionals’ sensitivity and awareness to deconstruct these barriers. Professional intervention through open discourse with the abused women can break this conspiracy of silence. We recommend that training programs for professionals intervening in cases of elder abuse and neglect will be directed along two paths: The first path should focus on professionals’ competence and skills, and the second path should address the women’s specific needs. These programs will include a particular module that will specifically address SAWLL. This module should comprise knowledge on typical emotional reactions to SAWLL, the use of language in creating reality, cumulative and complex trauma, and the social construction of ageism and sexism, which lead to social exclusion.

Download Full-text

Health care utilization following diagnosis of psychogenic nonepileptic seizures

Epilepsy & Behavior ◽

10.1016/j.yebeh.2016.04.007 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 60 ◽

pp. 107-111 ◽

Cited By ~ 17

Author(s):

Martin Salinsky ◽

Daniel Storzbach ◽

Elizabeth Goy ◽

Marissa Kellogg ◽

Eilis Boudreau

Keyword(s):

Health Care ◽

Health Care Utilization ◽

Care Utilization ◽

Psychogenic Nonepileptic Seizures ◽

Nonepileptic Seizures

Download Full-text

Long-term outcome of brief augmented psychodynamic interpersonal therapy for psychogenic nonepileptic seizures: Seizure control and health care utilization

Epilepsia ◽

10.1111/j.1528-1167.2010.02656.x ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 51 (7) ◽

pp. 1169-1176 ◽

Cited By ~ 86

Author(s):

Rebecca Mayor ◽

Stephanie Howlett ◽

Richard Grünewald ◽

Markus Reuber

Keyword(s):

Health Care ◽

Health Care Utilization ◽

Seizure Control ◽

Care Utilization ◽

Term Outcome ◽

Interpersonal Therapy ◽

Long Term Outcome ◽

Psychogenic Nonepileptic Seizures ◽

Nonepileptic Seizures

Download Full-text

Treatment of relapsed/refractory CLL with Venetoclax-Rituximab during the COVID-19 pandemic: A daily-life experience in southern Italy.

Mediterranean Journal of Hematology and Infectious Diseases ◽

10.4084/mjhid.2021.042 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (1) ◽

pp. e2021042

Author(s):

Stefano Molica ◽

Paolo Sportoletti ◽

Nicola Di Renzo ◽

Pellegrino Musto ◽

Fabrizio Pane ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Health Care ◽

High Risk ◽

Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia ◽

Health Care Professionals ◽

Southern Italy ◽

Life Experience ◽

Lymphocytic Leukaemia ◽

Daily Life ◽

Immune Defects ◽

Haematologic Malignancies

With more than 3 million proven infections and 100.000 associated deaths in Italy, the COVID-19 pandemic poses extraordinary challenges to health-care professionals and especially to those caring for patients with haematologic malignancies (1-2). Given the multiple immune defects characterizing chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL), it is considered that patients with this form of leukemia have a high-risk of suffering severe forms of COVID-19 (3-4).

Download Full-text

Integrative and complementary practices in Primary Care: unveiling health promotion

Revista Latino-Americana de Enfermagem ◽

10.1590/1518-8345.3162.3277 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 28 ◽

Author(s):

Indiara Sartori Dalmolin ◽

Ivonete Teresinha Schülter Buss Heidemann

Keyword(s):

Primary Care ◽

Health Care ◽

Health Promotion ◽

Primary Health Care ◽

Qualitative Study ◽

Health Care Professionals ◽

Daily Life ◽

Disease Process ◽

Primary Health ◽

Three Stages

Objective: to understand the use of integrative and complementary practices as a health promotion action. Method: qualitative study, action-participant type, with the application of Paulo Freire’s Research Itinerary, in which 30 Primary Health Care professionals participated. Thematic research was developed with two Primary Care Units, one that used integrative and complementary practices in daily life and another that focused more on allopathic concepts of assistance. To carry out the three stages of the method used, seven Culture Yarning Circles took place. The critical unveiling took place concurrently with the participation of those surveyed. Results: integrative and complementary practices constitute a form of health care, with the purpose of understanding the human being in the health-disease process, making it possible to work with the different aspects that involve them. In this way, they reduce damages resulting from the excessive use of medications, stimulate comprehensiveness and promote health. Conclusion: integrative and complementary practices are resources for health promotion, through comprehensive care and reducing the use of medications.

Download Full-text