Current Situation of Treatment and Follow-up Re-examination of Children with Epilepsy at Vietnam National Children’s Hospital

Abstract

Purpose: To assess treatment compliance and follow-up appointment of children with epilepsy at the Vietnam National Children’s Hospital in 2019.
 Method: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted on pediatric patients and primary caregivers came for examination and treatment at the Neurology Department, Vietnam National Children’s Hospital from January 2019 to December 2019.
 Results: Mean age was 74.3 ± 45.1 (month age). The most common age group was the 2-6 year old group (40.5%), the lower rate was the 6-12 year old group (30.0%), and rest groups was the low rate. The male: female ratio is 1.43:1. Most of the main caregivers are parents (92.5%). Average treatment time was 20.4 ± 15.7 months, the rate of good adherence to treatment 43.5%, 31.5% of children had moderated adhering to treatment and 25.0% had poor adhering to treatment. Within 6 months, 40.5% of children re-examined on time. The reasons for not complying with on-time re-examination were mainly due to the caregiver's busy work or the child was busy at school (37.8%) and the distance from home to hospital (26.1%).
 Conclusions: The percentage of patients who complied with treatment and re-examination was not high. Factors that were statistically significant for children's non-compliance were: health insurance level, age of onset, duration of treatment, and frequency of attacks following treatment.