ABSTRACT:
Epilepsy disproportionately affects low-income women in many communities, where poverty, gender inequality, and limited access to healthcare intersect to worsen health and social outcomes. Women living with epilepsy often face delayed diagnosis, inadequate treatment, and poor continuity of care due to financial barriers, limited health insurance coverage, and distance from health facilities. Beyond medical challenges, epilepsy exposes women to heightened stigma, discrimination, and social exclusion, frequently resulting in marital instability, loss of income, reduced educational opportunities, and increased vulnerability to gender-based violence. Many women conceal their condition for fear of rejection, leading to untreated seizures and preventable complications. Caregiving responsibilities, reproductive health concerns, and misconceptions surrounding epilepsy further compound these challenges. Addressing the impact of epilepsy on low-income women requires integrated community-based interventions that combine accessible healthcare, stigma reduction, economic empowerment, and gender-responsive policies. Such approaches are essential to improving health outcomes, safeguarding dignity, and promoting social and economic inclusion for women living with epilepsy.