Objective: To determine the prevalence and factors associated with depression in patients with epilepsy at Aga Khan University Hospital; Nairobi.Design: A Cross-Sectional Survey.Setting: Neurology clinic, Aga Khan University Hospital; NairobiSubjects: Eligible patients with epilepsy on follow-up at the neurology clinic were recruited.Intervention: Beck-Depression-Inventory was administered to evaluate presence of depression.Main Outcome Measures: In addition to depression, patients with co-morbid depression were further evaluated for associated factors.Results: Three-hundred-and-twenty-seven patients were evaluated for presence of depression. Fifty-four patients in the study cohort had depression, giving prevalence of depression; based on the Beck-Depression-Inventory as 16.5 %, (95 % CI 12.7-21.0) There was weak association between mild depression and polytherapy (use of two or more antiepileptic drugs), with OR 2.3, 95%CI 0.9-5.8 however, none between polytherapy and moderate or severe depression. No statistically significant association was found between depression and duration of epilepsy or number of seizures per month over last three months.Conclusion: The prevalence of depression in patients with epilepsy at Aga Khan University Hospital, Nairobi was 16.5 %( 95% CI 12.7-21.0) and polytherapy was weakly associated with mild depression. Depression among patients with epilepsy warrants clinical attention especially in patients on polytherapy. The risk of AED polytherapy was two-fold greater (OR 2.3, 95%CI 0.9-5.8) in patients with mild depression compared to patients with epilepsy without depression
