Occupation profile of patients with epilepsy: 55 Cases evaluated in Abidjan, Côte, d'Ivoire in 2005

Goal and study type. To establish workers repartition by activity sectors and by work, a prospective descriptive study was carried out in the medical units of private and public businesses. Material and method. The study was performed in two stages. We first was a questionaire filled by employees. The second was a study of medical records of employees. Results. Study population included 55 persons (65 % male, 35 % female), mean age 36.14 ± 9.19 years. The 35 to 45 age class represented 47.4 %. 74.6% of this population had presented general tonic-clonic seizures. Craftsmen represented 34.6 % of patients, 40 % had reached secondary schooling level. Trade and services represented 83.60 % of activities. The organized private sector employed 41, 80 % of these workers with epilepsy. Discussion. The low level of instruction is due to early withdrawal of patients with epilepsy from school, which is linked to prejudice about this disease. Epileptic workers were present in all sectors of activity, which shows that epilepsy is not a hopeless handicap and it should not constitute a systematic criterion of disability. Because of difficulties in their professional insertion, workers with epilepsy are mostly found in the handicrafts sectors and in commerce and services, where less problems arise. Conclusion. Epilepsy does not contra-indicate professional activities. However, the weight of prejudice limits career choices.