What We Confront with Employment of People with Epilepsy in Korea

Summary:  Purpose: To investigate the current status of employability in people with epilepsy (PWE) in Korea.
   Methods: Data were collected from 543 adult epilepsy patients. Housewives and students were excluded. Information was obtained from self-completed questionnaires.
   Results: The unemployment rate for Korean PWE was as high as 31%. This figure was five times higher than that of the general population. The unemployed PWE had significantly lower quality of life than the employed PWE. The employability of PWE was significantly affected by certain factors: the frequency and severity of seizures; age at onset; interseizure psychosocial disabilities including self-esteem, personality, and problem-solving style; and social discrimination. Actual discriminatory practices in the employment of the PWE were prevalent in Korea. Overall, 24.5% of respondents believed they had ever been treated unfairly at work or when trying to get a job. More than half of those who disclosed their disease to employers reported that they were refused a job because of epilepsy. About 75% of the patients surveyed said that they had never disclosed their disease in applying for a job.
   Conclusions: In Korea, PWE have faced many difficulties in employment. The discrimination against PWE and negative social attitudes toward epilepsy might play an important role in the employability of PWE. We need active participation in the "Out of the Shadows" world campaign.