The Epilepsies: Facts & Figures

The Prevalence.

10% of the population will experience a seizure in their lifetime.
1 in 26 people will develop a form of epilepsy in their lifetime.
5.1 million will be diagnosed with epilepsy.
3.4 Americans currently live with active epilepsy, including 470,000 children and teenagers.
No one is immune - the Epilepsies impact infants, children, young adults, seniors, wounded war fighters and veterans, and persons with traumatic brain injury.

10% of the population will experience a seizure in their lifetime.
1 in 26 people will develop a form of epilepsy in their lifetime.
5.1 million will be diagnosed with epilepsy.
3.4 Americans currently live with active epilepsy, including 470,000 children and teenagers.
No one is immune - the Epilepsies impact infants, children, young adults, seniors, wounded war fighters and veterans, and persons with traumatic brain injury.

The epilepsies can be deadly, with one out of every 1,000 people dying from Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy (SUDEP).
Deaths are 2x higher for the non-Hispanic Black population.
Inadequate or delayed treatment increase a person’s risk of subsequent seizures, brain damage, disability, and death.

Delayed recognition of seizures may lead to a long diagnostic odyssey.5.1 million will be diagnosed with epilepsy.
The epilepsies are among the most burdensome neurological disorders in the US.
66% of adults live with 4 or more other chronic conditions.
Many people with epilepsy experience health problems other than seizures which can impact every body system.
Public misunderstanding, discrimination, and stigma may limit lives, livelihood and living.[3]

The total healthcare burden for people living with the epilepsies or seizures is at least $54 billion.
32% of adults with epilepsy can't work
53% with uncontrolled seizures live in households earning < $25,000/yr.
These costs are likely an underestimates due to incomplete data on indirect costs like loss of productivity and easy retirement of people with epilepsy.
Yet only half of a percent of the more than $42 billion the National Institute of Health (NIH) spends on medical research each year, goes to epilepsy.[2]

Delayed recognition of seizures may lead to a long diagnostic odyssey.
The epilepsies are among the most burdensome neurological disorders in the US.
66% of adults live with 4 or more other chronic conditions.
Many people with epilepsy experience health problems other than seizures which can impact every body system.
Public misunderstanding, discrimination, and stigma may limit lives, livelihood and living.[3]