Publications by authors named "Mario Hamacher"
Background: To mitigate the potential consequences of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on public life, the German Federal Government and Ministry of Health enacted a strict lockdown protocol on March 16, 2020. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on physical and mental health status and the supply of medical care and medications for people with epilepsy (PWE) in Germany.
Methods: The Epi2020 study was a large, multicenter study focused on different healthcare aspects of adults with epilepsy.
Telehealth can improve the treatment of chronic disorders, such as epilepsy. Telehealth prevalence and use increased during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. However, familiarity with and use of telehealth and health-related mobile applications (apps) by persons with epilepsy remain unknown.
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- Women with epilepsy (WWE) need targeted counseling about contraception, pregnancy, and how these factors affect their condition and bone health; a study examined their knowledge over the last 15 years.
- A survey with 280 WWE revealed significant knowledge gaps, particularly among those with lower education and older women, despite some improvement noted in the younger group (ages ≤29) compared to 2005.
- Overall, WWE still lack adequate understanding of their condition, with no significant improvement in awareness, indicating a need for better education and resources in this area.
Article Synopsis
- * Data from four cohort studies conducted between 2008 and 2020 showed a significant rise in prescriptions for third-generation ASMs while first- and second-generation ASMs declined dramatically.
- * Notably, prescriptions for levetiracetam increased, while carbamazepine and valproate saw significant drops, particularly among women of childbearing potential and older adults.
Objective: This study was undertaken to calculate epilepsy-related direct, indirect, and total costs in adult patients with active epilepsy (ongoing unprovoked seizures) in Germany and to analyze cost components and dynamics compared to previous studies from 2003, 2008, and 2013. This analysis was part of the Epi2020 study.
Methods: Direct and indirect costs related to epilepsy were calculated with a multicenter survey using an established and validated questionnaire with a bottom-up design and human capital approach over a 3-month period in late 2020.
Objective: This study was undertaken to quantify epilepsy-related costs of illness (COI) in Germany and identify cost-driving factors.
Methods: COI were calculated among adults with epilepsy of different etiologies and severities. Multiple regression analysis was applied to determine any epilepsy-related and sociodemographic factors that serve as cost-driving factors.