Further research into climate change and epilepsy
The need for research
"Until now there has been little connection made between climate change and epilepsy, with the dangers of climate change for people with epilepsy receiving little attention in neurology. We can expect that unpredictable environments, rapid changes in circumstances, and disruptions to supply chains will have major impacts on medical practice: therefore, research into climate change on epilepsy should be high on the agenda."
Professor Sanjay Sisodiya, Director of Genomic Research and founding member of Epilepsy Climate Change (EPICC)
Carbon emission savings and short-term health care impacts from telemedicine: An evaluation in epilepsy
![Map image](/sites/default/files/inline-images/climatechange-map2.jpg)
The more red the colour of the region, the larger the number of people with epilepsy who would have come to Chalfont for their appointment, had the lockdown not been present. We calculated that over a 6 month period, these journeys that did not take place saved an amount of carbon emissions equivalent to driving around the Equator of the Earth over 5 times, without marked adverse outcomes for epilepsy care, at least over the short term.
These findings show the contribution the healthcare can make to greenhouse gas emissions, and will hopefully help us structure our clinics better, to provide the best care whilst trying to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
The full reference for this work is: Carbon emission savings and short-term health care impacts from telemedicine: An evaluation in epilepsy (opens in PDF). The map is reproduced from this work under the CC-BY creative commons licence.
It’s time to take action
Become a member with us at EPICC and take action against climate change today.
Footnotes:
EpiCC, Epilepsy Climate Change
References:
1. Sisodiya SM et al. Epilepsia Open 2019; 4:524–536.
2. World Health Organization. COP24 special report: health and climate change. Geneva: World Health Organization 2018.
Available at: http://www.who.int/iris/handle/10665/276405 (Accessed July 2021).
3. Sisodiya SM et al. Epilepsia Open 2019; 4:524–536.
4. Seizures and Hot summers 10-08-20
5. Frucht MM et al. Epilepsia 2000; 41:1534-1539.
6. Rifkin DI et al. Sleep Med Rev. 2018; 42:3-9.
7. Gulcebi MI et al. Epilepsy & Behaviour 2021; 116, doi: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2021.107791.