- MEW - Learn more about the Managing Epilepsy Well (MEW) Network
- IOM Report - IOM Report on Epilepsy is Underway
- New Standards - Standards for epidemiologic studies and surveillance
Epilepsy is a general term for conditions with recurring seizures. There are many kinds of seizures, but all involve abnormal electrical activity in the brain that causes an involuntary change in body movement or function, sensation, awareness, or behavior.
Topics
- CDC Epilepsy Activities
- About Us, Improving Care,
- Combating Stigma,
- Self-Management...
- State Activities
- Basic Information,
- Statistics,
- Publications...
- Epilepsy Basics
- FAQs, Fast Facts, First Aid, Support Information, Brochures...
- Projects and Training
- Epilepsy Projects Underway, Variety of Trainings Available...
- CDC Funded Research
- Epidemiologic,
- Health care/health outcome studies,
- Self-management studies...
- Resources
- CDC Resources,
- Other Federal Government Resources,
- Nongovernment Resources...
- Publications
- At A Glance, Journal Articles, Reports...
Data & Statistics
- Epilepsy is a chronic neurological condition characterized by recurrent seizures.
- There are many types of seizures and their symptoms can vary from a momentary disruption of the senses, to short periods of unconsciousness or staring spells, to convulsions.
- Epilepsy can be caused by many different conditions that affect a person’s brain. Often no definite cause can be found. Epilepsy cannot be transmitted from person to person.
- Epilepsy affects about 2.0 million Americans.
- About 10% of people will experience a seizure sometime during their lifetime and about 3% will have had a diagnosis of epilepsy by age 80.
- In 2011, nearly 140,000 new cases of epilepsy will be diagnosed in the United States.
- Epilepsy results in an estimated annual cost of $15.5 billion in medical costs and lost or reduced earnings and production.
Projects and Training
- Law Enforcement/First Responders Training Curriculum A national education and outreach program
to educate and train law enforcement and emergency response
personnel to increase their recognition of seizures
and promote safe and appropriate intervention practices.The law enforcement training curriculum is now available online.
- "You Are Not Alone" Toolkit The toolkit contains video and other materials developed for parents of teens who have epilepsy
- Extension of Project Uplift A program for preventing depression in people with epilepsy.
- Training for Students and Teachers Seizures and You: Take Charge of the Facts. This is an epilepsy awareness program and curriculum designed through a partnership between the Epilepsy Foundation (EF) and the CDC to educate teens and pre-teens ages 11-18.
- Training for Nurses Managing Students with Seizures: A Training for School Nurses… descriptor… designed to provide school nurses with information, strategies and resources to better manage students with seizures.
- Managing Epilepsy Well Network (MEW) A network working together to promote epilepsy self-management research and improve the quality of life for people with epilepsy.
- CDC’s Prevention Research Centers (PRCs) Work
Four university PRCs are working with the Managing Epilepsy Well (MEW) network to help people with epilepsy control their disorder and its effects on their life.
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Epilepsy MMWR Surveillance Summary
In 2005, 19 states collected information about the number of adults living with epilepsy, their characteristics, and other epilepsy-related factors.
Contact Us:
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Epilepsy
1600 Clifton Rd
Atlanta, GA 30333 - 800-CDC-INFO
(800-232-4636)
TTY: (888) 232-6348 - New Hours of Operation
8am-8pm ET/Monday-Friday
Closed Holidays - cdcinfo@cdc.gov
