Assessing Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy (SUDEP), Mortality, and Suicide in Pediatric Epilepsy from the lens of Healthcare Disparities: Data From a Scoping Review

RationaleA recent scoping review of disparities in pediatric epilepsy revealed that mortality-related outcomes, including sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP) and suicide, are rarely studied. We addressed this gap by systematically analyzing literature on social determinants of health (SDOH) and epilepsy-related mortality/SUDEP and suicide.MethodsThe Pediatric Epilepsy Research Consortium Health Equity Special Interest Group updated a recent scoping review, incorporating peer-reviewed studies that assessed SUDEP, suicide, or mortality in populations affected by SDOH. Data were categorized by SDOH factors and corresponding disparities to identify patterns across studies.ResultsEighteen studies were reviewed: mortality without referencing SUDEP (n = 8), SUDEP (n = 7), and suicide (n = 3). Gender was the most common SDOH; others included socioeconomic status, geography, race/ethnicity, and education.ConclusionLiterature addressing disparities in pediatric epilepsy-related mortality is limited. Standardized SDOH data collection may improve comparability and inform equity-focused interventions.