The Relationship Between Social Stigma and Life-Style in People with Epilepsy

Epilepsy is the most common serious neurological disorder worldwide، affecting about 50 million people. Epilepsy is not just a clinical disorder but a social label. One of the most important problem impact people with epilepsy is related stigma of this condition. In the other hand health related life style is a factor in procedure of chronic illnesses. Continues and reinforcement of well-being and welfare، satisfaction، self–esteem and self-actualization are the effects of life healthy life style. The object of this study is investigating the relationship between social stigma and life style in people with epilepsy. Current study is a correlational survey (cross sectional) which investigates the relationship between social stigma and life style. Among all of people with epilepsy referred to Emam Hossein Epilepsy Clinic and Iranian Society Association، 123 patients were selected based on purposive sampling. Data were collected by demographic check list، epilepsy stigma scale and epilepsy life style subscale. The results of this study showed that there is no difference between men and women with epilepsy in the social stigma and life style. Also there is a meaningful relationship between social stigma and life style in people with epilepsy (p < 0/001). In a negative bivariate correlation we can found that effective interventions in reducing social stigma lead to increasing life style among men and women in epilepsy، and effective interventions in increasing lifestyle leads to reducing social stigma in these patients. Both reducing social stigma and increasing life style leads to improving their health related quality of life.