Background: Epilepsy is a syndrome characterized by recurrent (two or more) unprovoked seizure attacks, due to a chronic, underlying process in the brain. Epilepsy is one of the most common and serious brain disorders in the world affecting at least 50 million people in the world. This study primarily aimed to assess factors associated with epilepsy in Meinit Shasha woreda, and present the findings to decision makers.

Objective: The objective was to identify factors associated with Epilepsy at Meinit Shasha woreda, Bench Maji Zone, Southern Ethiopia from May 10, 2018 to July 25, 2018.

Methods: unmatched case control study was conducted from May 10, 2018 to July 25, 2018. Total populations of Meinitshashaworeda were the source population. A total of 157 cases and 315 controls (case to control ratio of 1:2) were recruited for the study. Those who were diagnosed at Hospital or Health center with epilepsy (cases) and those who were residing permanently in the same area to cases but screened negative for epilepsy (controls) were the study population. We used simple random sampling to select cases. Data were collected using previously validated questionnaire and entered into Epinfo version7 and exported to and analyzed by SPSS version 20. To identify independent predictors, multivariable logistic regression was done. Odds Ratio(OR) was calculated to measure the strength of association between predictors and outcome variable. P-value at the level of significance of 5% was used to define statistical associations between dependent and independent variables.

Result: A data 0f 157 epilepsy cases and 315 controls were collected. During multivariate logistic regression analysis, the following variables were found to be statistically significant: Home delivery, AOR=4.76[95%CI=2.17-10.45], history of head injury with associated loss of consciousness,AOR=4.34[95%CI=1.86-10.11] and family history of epilepsy, AOR=3.09[95%CI=1.36-7.04].

Conclusion and recommendation:

Our study found that history of head injury, home delivery and having positive family history of epilepsy had significant positive association with epilepsy. Therefore, Meinit shasha woreda Health Office and Bench Maji Zone Health Department shall give health education on the benefits of institutional delivery and awareness creation activities to the community on the dangers of fight injuries and devise interventions focusing on educating the community about prevention of head injuries which may have significant association with the development of epilepsy.