Abstracts

As the U.S. Latino population grows, the need to provide specific and effective healthcare to this group arises. Epidemiological studies have mainly looked at the prevalence of epilepsy in the U.S., comparing Caucasians and African-Americans, but few studies have explored the prevalence of epilepsy in the Latino community. While the results have varied, there are clear healthcare discrepancies for Latinos that do not promote optimal epilepsy care. By considering these differences, we designed a survey to identify the challenges local physicians face when treating patients with epilepsy, focusing on specific barriers to care (BTC) Latinos with epilepsy (LWE) and their families face with regard to this disease., A survey was created to identify BTC in the North Philadelphia Latino community and administered to family practice physicians (FPP) in the areas near Temple University Hospital. FPP were identified by searching for clinics in zip codes that contained the highest concentration of Latinos in the Philadelphia Household Health Survey. Temple University Healthcare Database billing records were also used to identify the primary care providers of every patient in the system within the last three years with a primary diagnosis of a seizure disorder. The FPP survey was administered by hand delivering a survey packet to each office which could be returned in a provided self-addressed stamped envelope. The survey required 10-15 minutes and collected information about the FPP[apos]s opinions and experiences with epilepsy and the Latino population., Seventeen out of 35 FPP identified completed the survey. The most important BTC Latinos with epilepsy faced were: lack of education about the disease (57%) and poor knowledge of anti-epileptic drugs (AED) side effects (50%). Lack of medical insurance (85%), medicine compliance (79%), and transportation (57%) were occasional challenges. 67% of FPP felt comfortable evaluating and diagnosing epilepsy, and 86% felt sufficiently aware of AED side effects. FFP referred 71% of LWE to Neurology but only if seizures were uncontrolled. 92% of FPP thought Latinos needed an epilepsy outreach program, but 93% thought LWE were not aware of any epilepsy organizations. The type of event Latinos would most likely attend were small lectures, one-on-one sessions, and health fairs. 80% of the FPP did not have literature in Spanish about epilepsy., We have begun to identify some BTC facing LWE in the North Philadelphia area among a diverse US Latino population. The study points at the inconsistency between FPP and LWE knowledge base, and the tools/guidelines needed to effectively provide services to Latinos and the epilepsy population in general. It also yields information to develop strategies for a Latino outreach program, as the different support groups and services available to patients must be tailored to reach this community.,