Carmichael, Natasha S. and Lai, Lana YH and Mashuk, Md Sahadab and Lu, Yang and Basilio, Daniela Di and Pegg, Emily and Mohanraj, Rajiv (2026) Ethnic Representation, Deprivation and Seizure Outcomes in a UK Tertiary Epilepsy Clinic. Seizure - European Journal of Epilepsy. ISSN 1059-1311 (In Press)
Full text not available from this repository.Abstract
Background Ethnic disparities in healthcare access are well-documented, but their impact on epilepsy outcomes in the UK remains unclear. We examined ethnic representation and seizure outcomes in a tertiary epilepsy clinic. Methods Retrospective analysis of 1,609 adults attending Manchester Centre for Clinical Neurosciences (2020–2024). Ethnic distribution was compared with census data. Logistic regression assessed associations between ethnicity and seizure freedom, adjusting for age, sex, and deprivation. Results Asian (6.4%), Black (1.4%), and Mixed (1.7%) patients were underrepresented compared to Greater Manchester demographics (13.6%, 4.0%, 3.0% respectively; all p Conclusions Ethnic minorities are underrepresented in this tertiary epilepsy clinic yet achieve comparable outcomes once engaged in care, indicating disparities in access rather than treatment quality. Culturally competent care delivery, community outreach, and systematic review of referral pathways are needed to ensure equitable access to specialist services.