How are individuals with learning disability supported to understand their epilepsy?

Gareth Davison and Sharon McGregor discuss how to make information more accessible to help people with learning disabilities self-manage this condition

Epilepsy is a serious medical condition that can have profound psychosocial effects. These effects can be minimised through self-management, but information about epilepsy can be complex and it can be difficult for people, especially those with learning disabilities, to understand and manage their condition.

This group of people already experiences barriers to health literacy and the lack of accessible epilepsy information can further compromise ability to self-manage the condition. This article explores the existing literature relating to how people with learning disabilities are supported to understand their epilepsy, with particular focus on the effect of accessible information and education. Although research in this area is developing, it is limited, which therefore reduces the extent to which services can confidently use resources underpinned by evidence-based research.