Living with Epilepsy-Behavioral Health Across the Spectrum

Video Transcription

Video Summary

The talk covers behavioral health concerns in individuals with epilepsy, highlighting the significance of integrating mental health screening into epilepsy care, especially within pediatric settings. Key points include the prevalence of mental health issues like anxiety, depression, and ADHD among both adults and children with epilepsy. Factors influencing behavioral health, such as family background and socioeconomic conditions, are discussed, stressing the impact of family caregivers' education, income, and cultural factors. The barriers to effective behavioral health care, including side effects from anti-seizure medications and medication non-adherence, are addressed. The speaker emphasizes the importance of implementing standardized screening protocols using sensitive measures in clinical settings and considering social determinants of health. The aim is to identify individuals needing further assessment and connect them to available resources, emphasizing the need for practical, consistent screening methods tailored to specific healthcare environments, ultimately improving patient outcomes and quality of life.

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Presenter:
Janelle L Wagner, PhD, is a pediatric psychologist and Research Associate Professor at the Medical University of South Carolina. Dr. Wagner’s program of research focuses on behavioral health assessment and intervention for youth with epilepsy. She has been funded as PI and Co-I on private foundation and federal projects. Dr. Wagner has over 100 peer-reviewed publications, serves and holds leadership positions on national and international epilepsy task forces and committees, and serves on three scientific journal editorial boards.

Keywords

epilepsy

behavioral health

mental health screening

pediatric care

social determinants

screening protocols