Regular visitor to our social media channels and website might remember Lia Hipwell!
Earlier this year, Lia sought support for her research around the psychological wellbeing in people living with epilepsy by asking Epilepsy Ireland to disseminate her research request as she wanted as much input from epilepsy community as possible.
Inspired by her own lived experience of epilepsy, her research aimed to better understand how seizure patterns may influence key areas of wellbeing, including stress, sleep, self-efficacy, mood, social support, and epilepsy-related quality of life. The project was conducted under the supervision of Professor Samantha Dockray at UCC.
We know many of our followers and supporters took the time to participate, and we would like to thank everyone who contributed to Lia's project. We are pleased to report that Lia has now successfully completed her psychology studies at University College Cork (UCC), and we are delighted to share the findings of her thesis with you.
Key Findings
To investigate her research aims, 139 adults living with epilepsy completed an online survey. Participants ranged in age from 18 to 80 years, with 53.2% living in Ireland.
The strongest finding was that people who had experienced fewer recent seizures, or who felt that their epilepsy was well controlled, generally reported better overall wellbeing. For example, participants who had not experienced any seizures in the previous three months reported a higher epilepsy-related quality of life, lower stress levels, greater confidence in managing challenges, and more positive emotions than those who had experienced frequent seizures. They also reported stronger perceived social support.
Among participants who menstruated, around one in five (22.3%) reported that their seizures were influenced by their menstrual cycle. The study also found that they reported lower epilepsy-related quality of life..
Overall, the findings reinforce what many people living with epilepsy already know: epilepsy is about much more than seizures alone and can have an impact on a person's wellbeing. Lia's research shines a light on the close connection between seizure experiences and psychological wellbeing, reinforcing the need for holistic care.
We hope her findings will encourage further research in this area and deepen our understanding of the many ways epilepsy can affect people's lives.
What’s next for Lia?
Lia is currently undertaking a Master's in Applied Psychology and Mental Health at UCC. Having only recently begun her studies, the details are still taking shape, but she hopes to conduct a follow-up study building on the findings of her thesis. Looking ahead, she plans to pursue a career path in Clinical Psychology and hopes to continue researching epilepsy, particularly the potential relationship between menstrual cycles and epilepsy in women. We wish Lia every success in her studies and future career, and look forward to following her journey in the years ahead.
Further Information
For further information, visit the 'Women section' of our website and the Emotional Health and Wellbeing page of our website, where you can access additional resources and information which may be of support.
As aways, if you need information or support for yourself or a loved one living with epilepsy, please do not hesitate to contact your local Community Resource Officer through our ‘Our Local Service’ page.