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CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 · Arq Neuropsiquiatr 2019; 77(05): 335-340
DOI: 10.1590/0004-282X20190055
Article

Religiosity and spirituality in patients with epilepsy

Religiosidade e espiritualidade em pacientes com epilepsia
Isadora Barazzetti Rigon 
1   Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Curso de Graduação em Medicina, Florianópolis SC, Brasil
,
Gabriel de Almeida Calado 
1   Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Curso de Graduação em Medicina, Florianópolis SC, Brasil
,
Lucas Savaris Linhares
1   Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Curso de Graduação em Medicina, Florianópolis SC, Brasil
,
Pietro Lentz Martins Cantu
1   Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Curso de Graduação em Medicina, Florianópolis SC, Brasil
,
Jorge Luis Wollstein Moritz
2   Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Médicas, Florianópolis SC, Brasil
,
Peter Wolf 
2   Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Médicas, Florianópolis SC, Brasil
3   Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Hospital Universitário, Departamento de Clínica Médica, Serviço de Neurologia, Florianópolis SC, Brasil
4   Danish Epilepsy Centre, Dianalund, Denmark
,
Katia Lin 
2   Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Médicas, Florianópolis SC, Brasil
3   Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Hospital Universitário, Departamento de Clínica Médica, Serviço de Neurologia, Florianópolis SC, Brasil
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ABSTRACT

Religiosity and spirituality (R/S) are widely regarded as important allies against illness and suffering in general. Findings in temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) suggest the temporal lobe as the anatomical-functional basis of religious experiences. Both R/S are relevant in patients with epilepsy (PWE) since epilepsy can lead to psychosocial issues for a significant portion of patients and their families.

Objective: To investigate R/S in PWE, as well as the impact of different epileptic syndromes on patients' R/S.

Methods: One hundred PWE and 50 healthy volunteers matched for age, sex and educational level were submitted to an interview, as well as three previously validated questionnaires: Index of Core Spiritual Experience (INSPIRIT-R), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), and the Quality of Life in Epilepsy Inventory (QOLIE-31).

Results: PWE's and control's mean ages were 35.9 ± 12.4 vs. 36.3 ± 18.1 years, mean schooling was 8.9 ± 3.7 vs. 10.1 ± 4.2 years. The mean age of epilepsy onset was 14.5 ± 12.1 and monthly frequency of seizures was 5.9 ± 12.6. INSPIRIT-R's scores were not statistically significantly different between patients and controls (3.0 ± 0.8 vs. 3.0 ± 0.8); however, INSPIRIT-R's scores were significantly higher in TLE patients when compared with other epilepsy syndromes (3.2 ± 0.7 vs. 2.8 ± 0.9; p = 0.04).

Conclusion: Temporal lobe epilepsy patients have higher levels of R/S.

Resumo

Religiosidade e espiritualidade (R/E) são geralmente consideradas importantes aliadas no enfrentamento de doenças e sofrimento. Estudos na epilepsia do lobo temporal (ELT) sugerem que o lobo temporal é a base anatçmico-funcional de experiências religiosas. Além disso, R/E têm impacto na vida de pacientes com epilepsia (PCE), uma vez que a epilepsia frequentemente está associada a distúrbios psicossociais em pacientes e seus familiares.

Objetivo: Investigar R/E em PCE, bem como o impacto de diferentes síndromes epilépticas na R/E dos pacientes.

Método: Cem PCE e 50 voluntários saudáveis pareados por idade, sexo e nível educacional foram submetidos a uma entrevista, bem como três questionários previamente validados: Index of Core Spiritual Experience (INSPIRIT-R), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), e Quality of Life in Epilepsy Inventory (QOLIE-31).

Resultados: As médias de idade de PCE e controles foram de 35,9 ± 12,4 vs. 36,3 ± 18,1 anos, com escolaridade média de 8,9 ± 3,7 vs. 10,1 ± 4,2 anos. A idade média do início da epilepsia foi de 14,5 ± 12,1 e a frequência de crises mensais foi de 5,9 ± 12,6. Os escores do INSPIRIT-R não foram estatisticamente diferentes entre os pacientes e controles (3,0 ± 0,8 vs. 3,0 ± 0,8); entretanto, os escores do INSPIRIT-R foram significativamente maiores em pacientes com ELT quando comparados com outras síndromes epilépticas (3,2 ± 0,7 vs. 2,8 ± 0,9; p = 0,04).

Conclusão: Pacientes com epilepsia do lobo temporal possuem níveis mais altos de religiosidade e espiritualidade.

Keywords:

Epilepsy, temporal lobe - quality of life - spirituality

Palavras-chave:

Epilepsia do lobo temporal - qualidade de vida - espiritualidade

Support

CNPq, CAPES




Publication History

Received: 30 October 2018

Accepted: 11 February 2019

Article published online:
16 August 2023

© 2023. Academia Brasileira de Neurologia. This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonDerivative-NonCommercial License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit. Contents may not be used for commecial purposes, or adapted, remixed, transformed or built upon. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)

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