Quality of life and correlating factors in children, adolescents with epilepsy, and their caregivers: A cross-sectional multicenter study from Germany.

Purpose: To identify factors correlating with poorer quality of life (QoL) in children and adolescents with epilepsy and regarding QoL and depression of their caregivers in Germany.

Method: A cross-sectional multicenter study on QoL and depression was performed in two representative German states (Hessen and Schleswig-Holstein). Variance analysis, linear regression, and bivariate correlation were used to identify correlating factors for poorer QoL and symptoms of depression.

Costs of epilepsy and cost-driving factors in children, adolescents, and their caregivers in Germany.

Objective: To provide first data on the cost of epilepsy and cost-driving factors in children, adolescents, and their caregivers in Germany.

Methods: A population-based, cross-sectional sample of consecutive children and adolescents with epilepsy was evaluated in the states of Hessen and Schleswig-Holstein (total of 8.796 million inhabitants) in all health care sectors in 2011.