Epidemiologic and Population Studies

Unprovoked Seizure and Epilepsy in Washington Heights/Inwood, New York City: Incidence, Prevalence, and Patterns of Care
Principal Investigator: Dale Hesdorffer, MPH, PhD
Columbia University, New York, NY

Purpose: to describe the incidence of epilepsy in a racially and ethnically diverse population.

Publications:

Benn EK, Hauser WA, Shih T, Leary L, Bagiella E, Dayan P, Green R, Andrews H, Thurman DJ, Hesdorffer DC. Estimating the incidence of first unprovoked seizure and newly diagnosed epilepsy in the low-income urban community of Northern Manhattan, New York City. Epilepsia 2008; 49(8):1431-9.

Benn EK, Hauser WA, Shih T, Leary L, Bagiella E, Dayan P, Green R, Andrews H, Thurman DJ, Hesdorffer DC. Underlying cause of death in incident unprovoked seizures in the urban community of Northern Manhattan, New York City. Epilepsia 2009; 50(10):2296–300.

Prevalence of Epilepsy in Minority Inner City Populations
Principal Investigator: W. Allen Hauser, MD
Columbia University, New York, NY

Purpose: to describe the prevalence of epilepsy and its risk factors and etiologies in a predominantly minority population.

Publication:

Kelvin EA, Hesdorffer DC, Bagiella E, Andrews H, Pedley TA, Shih TT, Leary L, Thurman DJ, Hauser WA. Prevalence of self-reported epilepsy in a multiracial and multiethnic community in New York City. Epilepsy Research 2007; 77(2-3):141–50.

Top of Page

South Carolina Epidemiological Studies of Epilepsy and Seizure Disorders
Principal Investigator: Anbesaw Selassie, DrPH
Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC

Purpose: to estimate the incidence and prevalence of epilepsy in a state population and qualitatively assess the service needs of people with epilepsy.

Publication:

Ferguson PL, Chiprich J, Smith G, Dong B, Wannamaker BB, Kobau R, Thurman DJ, Selassie AW. Prevalence of self-reported epilepsy, health care access, and health behaviors among adults in South Carolina. Epilepsy & Behavior 2008 (in press).

South Carolina Traumatic Brain Injury Follow-up Registry
Principal Investigator: Anbesaw Selassie, DrPH
Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC

Purpose: to assess the incidence, risk factors, and outcomes of traumatic brain injuries (TBI) in a state population and to describe the occurrence of epilepsy as a risk factor and outcome of TBI.

Publication:

Ferguson PL, Smith GM, Wannamaker BB, Thurman DJ, Pickelsimer EE, Selassie AW. A population-based study of risk of epilepsy after hospitalization for traumatic brain injury. Epilepsia 2010; 51(5):891–8.

Top of Page

Prevalence of Epilepsy in the Navajo Nation
Principal Investigator: Karen Parko, MD
Indian Health Service, Shiprock, NM

Purpose: to assess the prevalence of epilepsy among residents of the Navajo reservation in New Mexico, Arizona, and Utah.

Publication:

Parko K, Thurman DJ. Prevalence of Epilepsy and Seizures in the Navajo Nation 1998-2002. Epilepsia 2009; 50(10):2180–5.

Prevalence of Epilepsy Along the Arizona-Mexico Border
Principal Investigator: David Labiner, MD
University of Arizona College of Medicine, Tucson, AZ

Purpose: to describe the epidemiology of epilepsy in a largely minority population living in southern Arizona.

Publication: (in preparation)

Top of Page

Population-Based Studies of Epilepsy in the District of Columbia
Principal Investigator: Barbara L. Kroner, PhD
Research Triangle Institute, Rockville, MD

Purpose: to characterize the prevalence and public health burden of epilepsy in the population of Washington, DC.

Publication: (in preparation)

Geographic Variation in Epilepsy Among Medicare Beneficiaries
Principal Investigator: Maria Pisu, PhD
University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL

Purpose: to describe the prevalence of epilepsy, quality of care, and outcomes in older adults in the United States, using Medicare claims data.

Publication: (in preparation)

Prevalence of Epilepsy in Rural Kansas
Principal Investigator: W. Allen Hauser, MD
Columbia University, New York, NY
Co-investigator: Angelia M. Paschal, PhD
University of Kansas School of Medicine, Wichita, KS

Purpose: to characterize the prevalence and public health burden of epilepsy in a rural population of southeastern Kansas.

Publication: (study in progress)

Top of Page

Incidence of Epilepsy/Seizure and Outcomes in Nursing Homes: a 5-year Cohort
Principal Investigator: Lynn E. Eberly, PhD
University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN

Purpose: to describe the incidence of epilepsy and seizures, associated conditions, and consequences in the U.S. population of nursing home residents, using the national database of nursing home clinical records maintained by the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

Publication: (study in progress)

Prevalence of Developmental Disabilities Among Children with Epilepsy in Rural Populations
Principal Investigator: David Lindeman, PhD
University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS

Purpose: to assess the prevalence of epilepsy and secondary disabilities among children in low-income rural populations.

Publication: (study in progress)

Top of Page

Incidence and Prognosis of Epilepsy in Harlem, New York City
Principal Investigator: Dale C. Hesdorffer, PhD
Columbia University, New York, NY

Purpose: to assess predictors of outcome in a two-year follow-up study of incident cases of epilepsy in the population of Harlem, New York City. Potential prognostic factors will include age, seizure characteristics, socioeconomic status, burden of comorbidity, access to specialty care, and lifetime history of depression and anxiety. Outcomes will include seizure recurrence and mortality.

Publication: (study in progress)

Epidemiologic follow-up study of newly diagnosed epilepsy among the elderly from different ethnic groups
Principal Investigator: David Labiner, MD,
University of Arizona

Purpose: an analysis of quantitative, administrative, and qualitative data to describe the public health burden of epilepsy in persons in southeastern Arizona aged ≥65 years with new onset seizures and to identify early predictors of clinical outcomes and health care.

Publication: (study in progress)

Top of Page