Abstract
Epilepsy, a complex spectrum of disorders, merits enhanced public health action. In 2012, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) released a seminal report on the public health dimensions of the epilepsies, recommending actions in 7 domains. The report urged a more integrated and coordinated national approach for care centering on the whole patient, including heightened attention to comorbidities and quality of life; more timely referral and access to treatments; and improved community resources, education, stakeholder collaboration, and public communication. The US Department of Health and Human Services responded to this report by accelerating and integrating ongoing initiatives and beginning new ones. This article summarizes recent federally supported activities promoting an integrated public health approach for epilepsy, highlighting progress in response to the landmark 2012 IOM report and identifying opportunities for continued public health action.
Highlights
Introduction and BackgroundDespite being recognized for millennia, epilepsy is poorly understood by the public today
The report emphasized that epilepsy is a common spectrum of disorders that affects health and quality of life for people of all ages; that a more coordinated approach is needed for care centering on the whole patient; that effective treatments are available, timely referral and access to treatments fall short; and that it is an area filled with complexity and stigma
The Institute of Medicine (IOM) report stimulated new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) efforts to clarify the burden of epilepsy in the United States
Summary
Introduction and BackgroundDespite being recognized for millennia, epilepsy is poorly understood by the public today. The report emphasized that epilepsy is a common spectrum of disorders that affects health and quality of life for people of all ages; that a more coordinated approach is needed for care centering on the whole patient; that effective treatments are available, timely referral and access to treatments fall short; and that it is an area filled with complexity and stigma.
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