Posters
Presenting Author Academic/Professional Position
Medical Student
Academic Level (Author 1)
Medical Student
Academic Level (Author 2)
Faculty
Discipline/Specialty (Author 2)
Neuroscience
Presentation Type
Poster
Discipline Track
Community/Public Health
Abstract Type
Research/Clinical
Abstract
Introduction: Epilepsy is a seizure disorder characterized by abnormal electrical patterns in the brain that lead to changes in synchronization of neuronal firing patterns. Presentations of seizures vary, and include convulsions, changes in awareness, loss of consciousness, or unusual sensations. Approximately 3.4 million Americans suffer from epilepsy, with close to 15,000 in the Rio Grande Valley (RGV). The RGV is home to a vast Hispanic population, with 91% of its population identifying as Hispanic or Latino, according to the American Immigration Council’s research in 2019. However, literature on the prevalence, and presentation of epilepsy within the Hispanic population is severely limited. Here, we sought to investigate variables associated with epilepsy in the RGV, focusing on the influence of ethnicity/race on epidemiologic pathophysiology.
Methods: We conducted a retrospective chart analysis with health and demographic patient data from UT Health RGV medical centers with an active diagnosis of epilepsy between 2019 and 2024. Demographic/health care data was analyzed focusing on the number of medical visits per person, the number of other health issues listed in the patient’s chart, body mass index (BMI), prevalence of common co-occurring chronic illnesses, and use of MRI/CT scan imaging to support diagnosis/management and common comorbidities. We focused our analysis on ethnicity (with non-Hispanic patient data serving as a control) to identify any differences within demographic/health care variables. Co-occurring chronic illnesses and age were analyzed as a confounding variable (e.g. hyperlipidemia, diabetes mellitus, and hypertension). Finally, MRI and CT scan data from patients were analyzed to identify the most common neurological abnormalities in patients with epilepsy by ethnicity, with relation to comorbidities, and age at diagnosis.
Results: 2104 patients from the RGV UT Health medical centers possessed a diagnosis of epilepsy and sought medical attention between 2019 and 2024. Of these, 1483 self-identified as Hispanic. 158 patients self-identifying as non-Hispanic were assigned to the control group. The other 463 patients were excluded from the study due to indeterminable ethnicities. We observed that non-Hispanic patients with epilepsy were significantly older at date of service than Hispanic patients. In addition, non-Hispanic patients had a significantly higher number of co-occurring chronic illnesses than the Hispanic group. There was no significant difference in the number of visits between the groups or in BMI. When controlling for age, the number of healthcare visits was significantly higher for patients under the age of 12 in the Hispanic cohort. In the Hispanic cohort, 0.13% of patients received MRI or CT scan imaging, compared to 1.30% in the control group.
Conclusion: Our data suggest that patients that identify as Hispanic experience epilepsy at a younger age, with reduced co-occurring chronic conditions. Interestingly, Hispanic patients were less likely to receive diagnostic imaging than non-Hispanic patients, suggesting a possible clinical care bias. Future work will consider variables such as smoking habits, and neuropathologies by BMI, hyperlipidemia, hypertension and diabetes.
Recommended Citation
Szobody, Megan W. and Potter-Baker, Kelsey, "Epilepsy in the Hispanic population in the RGV: A Five-Year Retrospective Chart Review" (2025). Research Symposium. 103.
https://scholarworks.utrgv.edu/somrs/2025/posters/103
Included in
Epilepsy in the Hispanic population in the RGV: A Five-Year Retrospective Chart Review
Introduction: Epilepsy is a seizure disorder characterized by abnormal electrical patterns in the brain that lead to changes in synchronization of neuronal firing patterns. Presentations of seizures vary, and include convulsions, changes in awareness, loss of consciousness, or unusual sensations. Approximately 3.4 million Americans suffer from epilepsy, with close to 15,000 in the Rio Grande Valley (RGV). The RGV is home to a vast Hispanic population, with 91% of its population identifying as Hispanic or Latino, according to the American Immigration Council’s research in 2019. However, literature on the prevalence, and presentation of epilepsy within the Hispanic population is severely limited. Here, we sought to investigate variables associated with epilepsy in the RGV, focusing on the influence of ethnicity/race on epidemiologic pathophysiology.
Methods: We conducted a retrospective chart analysis with health and demographic patient data from UT Health RGV medical centers with an active diagnosis of epilepsy between 2019 and 2024. Demographic/health care data was analyzed focusing on the number of medical visits per person, the number of other health issues listed in the patient’s chart, body mass index (BMI), prevalence of common co-occurring chronic illnesses, and use of MRI/CT scan imaging to support diagnosis/management and common comorbidities. We focused our analysis on ethnicity (with non-Hispanic patient data serving as a control) to identify any differences within demographic/health care variables. Co-occurring chronic illnesses and age were analyzed as a confounding variable (e.g. hyperlipidemia, diabetes mellitus, and hypertension). Finally, MRI and CT scan data from patients were analyzed to identify the most common neurological abnormalities in patients with epilepsy by ethnicity, with relation to comorbidities, and age at diagnosis.
Results: 2104 patients from the RGV UT Health medical centers possessed a diagnosis of epilepsy and sought medical attention between 2019 and 2024. Of these, 1483 self-identified as Hispanic. 158 patients self-identifying as non-Hispanic were assigned to the control group. The other 463 patients were excluded from the study due to indeterminable ethnicities. We observed that non-Hispanic patients with epilepsy were significantly older at date of service than Hispanic patients. In addition, non-Hispanic patients had a significantly higher number of co-occurring chronic illnesses than the Hispanic group. There was no significant difference in the number of visits between the groups or in BMI. When controlling for age, the number of healthcare visits was significantly higher for patients under the age of 12 in the Hispanic cohort. In the Hispanic cohort, 0.13% of patients received MRI or CT scan imaging, compared to 1.30% in the control group.
Conclusion: Our data suggest that patients that identify as Hispanic experience epilepsy at a younger age, with reduced co-occurring chronic conditions. Interestingly, Hispanic patients were less likely to receive diagnostic imaging than non-Hispanic patients, suggesting a possible clinical care bias. Future work will consider variables such as smoking habits, and neuropathologies by BMI, hyperlipidemia, hypertension and diabetes.
