A cross-sectional study of 141 children aged 10–15 with epilepsy found positive depression screening in 19.9%, associated with age, female sex, generalized seizures and a seizure-frequency category.
Key findings
- Twenty-eight of 141 children (19.9%) screened positive. Adjusted odds were higher with each year of age (OR 1.60, 95% CI 1.13–2.26), female sex (3.29, 1.11–9.81), generalized seizures (4.04, 1.32–12.35) and a less-than-monthly to every-three-months seizure category versus daily seizures (5.70, 1.55–20.99).
Why this matters globally
The findings support integrating mental-health screening into paediatric epilepsy care, where emotional symptoms can be overshadowed by neurological concerns.
Thai researcher contribution
The Maharat Nakhon Ratchasima team generated practice-based Thai evidence using a Thai-language screening instrument.
Limitations to consider
This single-hospital cross-sectional study has wide confidence intervals for some estimates. Screening can yield false positives, and the counterintuitive seizure-frequency association may reflect a small reference group or residual confounding.