Table 4.

Comparison of responses from over the age of 60 years cohort with those from the total cohort on factors that indicate an increased risk of adverse health outcomes in people with epilepsy. A larger proportion of people in the over the age of 60 years cohort report comorbidities, which could make them directly vulnerable to COVID-19, with the exception of respiratory conditions. Rates of memory difficulties are higher within the over the age of 60 years cohort, which could lead to indirect vulnerability to COVID-19, such as medication nonadherence and psychological distress. In comparison, rates of mental health difficulties remain low. A large proportion of this demographic is exposed to epilepsy-specific risk factors that correlate with increased risk of morbidity and premature mortality [27], [40].

		Rates in over the age of 60 years cohort	Rate in total cohort
Comorbidities (Directly vulnerable to COVID-19)	Diabetes	3% (n = 1)	2% (n = 7)
	Heart conditions	12% (n = 4)	5% (n = 23)
	Hypertension	26% (n = 9)	5% (n = 23)
	Respiratory conditions	9% (n = 3)	10% (n = 44)
Comorbidities (Indirectly vulnerable to COVID-19)	Mental health	6% (n = 2)	27% (n = 123)
	Memory difficulties	47% (n = 16)	31% (n = 143)
Epilepsy-related risk indicators for adverse health outcomes	Changes to health	26% (n = 9)	40% (n = 185)
	Difficulty in taking medication on time	3% (n = 1)	13% (n = 57)
	Difficulty accessing epilepsy care	18% (n = 6)	33% (n = 154)