CONTACT: Kisha James, (301) 918-3768, kjames@efa.org
 

Managing Epilepsy Well Network Launches Site to Advance Epilepsy Self-Management Research

Landover, MD, November 16, 2009—The Managing Epilepsy Well (MEW) Network announces the  launch of a new Web site, www.sph.emory.edu/ManagingEpilepsyWell, for professionals and the public interested in the latest epilepsy self-management research. Self-management in epilepsy improves positive health outcomes by fostering active partnerships between the persons who live with epilepsy and their health care team. The MEW Network is advancing the science related to epilepsy self-management through research conducted in collaboration with local Epilepsy Foundation offices and other community stakeholders.

The MEW Network was recently awarded a National Institutes of Health (NIH) Challenge Grant, through Emory University, to fund a multi-site depression prevention study in people with epilepsy. The study will build on the success of the CDC-funded Project UPLIFT which uses distance technology for treating depression in people with epilepsy, and will expand it to include prevention of depression in people with epilepsy. Participants in the study will be recruited from all MEW Network sites in Georgia, Michigan, Texas and Washington state.

The Managing Epilepsy Well (MEW) Network is composed of individuals interested in the care of people with epilepsy and includes representatives from U.S. universities, community-based organizations and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).  The new Web site will share the most current research findings by leading research centers. The site also has internet links to other sites dedicated to epilepsy, epilepsy publications, and online tools that can help people with epilepsy better control their quality of life.

“This Web site is a valuable resource for people with epilepsy and those interested in their care,” said Eric Hargis, president and CEO of the Epilepsy Foundation. “With November being National Epilepsy Awareness Month, this resource couldn’t have come at a better time.”  Visitors to the Web site can learn more about the research underway by the Managing Epilepsy Well Network which include: WebEase (Web Epilepsy Awareness Support and Education), an Internet-based self-management program; PEARLS (Program to Encourage Active and Rewarding Lives), a community-based depression treatment program, UPLIFT (Using Practice and Learning to Increase Favorable Thoughts), a depression prevention program, and other studies examining factors associated with self-management across the full spectrum of epilepsy.