GregJonesLaw_11Q50_2013-09-04_Wed_Study: Epilepsy Rates Not As High in Hispanic Immigrants as General Population

Study: Epilepsy Rates Not As High in Hispanic Immigrants as General Population

According to a new study conducted by researchers at the University of Arizona (UA), newly-arrived immigrants of Hispanic origin do not have epilepsy at as high a rate as the non-Hispanic population. The study was funded by the Centers for Disease Control.

During the study, the researchers analyzed information collected from the investigated epilepsy rates among the Hispanic population along the border between Arizona and Mexico. They found that Hispanics in this area suffered half of the amount of epilepsy than was experienced by their non-Hispanic neighbors. This is said to be a “dramatic reversal of expectations” by the university.

Dr. David Labiner, director of the Arizona Comprehensive Epilepsy Program and head of the neurology department in the UA College of Medicine, mentioned earlier studies that were similar but took place by analyzing American participants in Los Angeles, Atlanta and New York as showing proof that contradicts the new information.

“The starting point [for the study] was the observation that in virtually all studies that had been done, minority populations tend to have higher prevalence of epilepsy, but none had been done in a border setting. Most had been done in cities,” he commented.

Labiner does not know why this has happened but he did suggest that the “healthy immigrant effect” may be why. The healthy immigrant effect is a term that is used to describe how those immigrants who make their journeys successfully do so because they are healthier than the general public. He also suggests that the immigrant’s language, acculturation and stigma may also help to lessen the epilepsy rates in the Hispanic population along the American border.

While this study may be interesting, it does not change the fact that millions of people worldwide still suffer from the condition. Epilepsy is often treated with various anti-seizure medications like Topamax. Topamax has been linked to an increased risk of suicide and suicidal thoughts as well as birth defects in women whose babies are exposed to the drug in-utero. Some of those birth defects linked to Topamax use during pregnancy include cleft lips, cleft palates, genital defects and other birth malformations.

If your baby was born with birth defects after in-utero exposure to Topamax, contact attorney Greg Jones today for a free consultation. I am experienced at fighting Topamax lawsuits and may be able to help you recover money for your child’s injuries.