A survey on awareness, knowledge, and attitudes toward epilepsy in an urban community in Turkey (original) (raw)
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Public awareness of, attitudes toward, and understanding of epilepsy in Isparta, Turkey
Epilepsy & Behavior, 2007
The social stigma attached to epilepsy very often constitutes a considerable problem and much private grief for patients and their relatives. This study was aimed at investigating ''perceivers''' awareness of, attitudes toward, and understanding of epilepsy in Isparta, Turkey. Using a questionnaire survey, we interviewed, face-to-face, a random sample of 582 persons older than 18, excluding persons with epilepsy or those with relatives who had epilepsy. Eighty-one percent of respondents had heard of epilepsy, 47% knew a person with epilepsy, and 54% had seen an epileptic seizure. Somewhat less knowledgable were the elderly and less educated individuals. Attitudes toward social acceptance and employment of persons with epilepsy were generally negative, especially to children's associations and marriage. Twelve percent considered epilepsy as a form of insanity. Although understanding of epilepsy was favorable, the results indicate that there exists significant discrimination against persons with epilepsy, and there is a need to implement public education campaigns.
Epilepsy & Behavior, 2008
The aim of this study was to develop two new scales for assessing Turkish public's knowledge of epilepsy and attitudes toward it. A 26-item knowledge scale and a 15-item attitude scale were first developed and then tested using a random selection of adults aged P18 n = 613) from different parts of Istanbul. After item and factor analyses of the knowledge scale, 10 items were omitted. Varimax rotation resulted in three underlying components that explained 35.7% of the variance. As a reliability assessment, the Kuder-Richardson-20 coefficient was 0.72. For the attitude scale one item was excluded after factor analyses. Varimax rotation revealed two underlying components that explained 46.31% of the variance. Cronbach's alpha was found to be 0.84. Additionally, it was found that subjects with more knowledge of epilepsy had more positive attitudes toward epilepsy (r = .36, P < 0.01).
Evaluation of attitudes toward epilepsy and health fatalism in northeastern Turkey
Epilepsy & Behavior, 2021
This study was carried out to identify the attitudes toward epilepsy, health fatalism, and the factors affecting these in individuals living in Artvin in the northeast of Turkey. Method: This descriptive and cross-sectional study involved 1443 healthy individuals at a hospital in Artvin in northeastern Turkey between January and March 2020. An individual information form, an epilepsy attitude scale, and a religious health fatalism scale were used to assess their views. An independent sample t-test, Mann-Whitney U test, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), and Pearson correlation analysis were used to analyze the data. Results: The mean score of participants' attitudes on epilepsy was 48.17 (standard deviation (SD) = 12.93), while the mean of their health fatalism score was 48.43 (SD = 17.41). There was a significant negative correlation between attitude scores and health fatalism (r = −0.084, p = 0.001). Significant differences were found among attitude, health fatalism mean scores, and misconceptions associated with religion about epilepsy being a contagious, psychiatric, and incurable disease that should be hidden. Significant differences were additionally observed among attitude, health fatalism mean scores, and education, marital status, income, employment status, and presence of chronic disease (p < 0.05). Conclusion: It was found that most individuals had moderate level attitude toward epilepsy and had high health fatalism. Individuals with a high degree of health fatalism were found to have more negative attitude toward epilepsy. Attitude was found to be more negative, and health fatalism was found to be higher in individuals with low education level, low-income level, who were married, who were unemployed, who had a chronic disease, and in those who thought epilepsy was a contagious, psychiatric, and incurable disease associated with religion that should be hidden. Implications: It is recommended that health professionals organize training programs to increase public understanding of epilepsy, improving individual attitudes toward the condition, and minimizing health fatalism.
Neurology Asia, 2022
Background & Objectives: Although epilepsy is one of the most prevalent diseases, it is highly surrounded by stigmatization and negative attitudes toward epilepsy. Due to numerous incorrect or insufficient knowledge attributed to epilepsy, people have negative attitudes against the disease. This study was performed to examine the knowledge levels and attitudes about epilepsy of undergraduate students studying at the faculty of health sciences in Turkey. Methods: In the study, the epilepsy knowledge level and attitudes towards epilepsy and the person with epilepsy were evaluated in 1,019 students studying at the faculty of health sciences at Konya Selcuk University. The scales of epilepsy knowledge and attitudes towards epilepsy were transformed into an online form and sent to participants' e-mail addresses. Results: Two hundred eighty (27.5%) students read scientific documents about epilepsy. Especially those who read textbooks and scientific articles/research articles had a higher level of knowledge (p = 0.002). The least well-known issue was related to the treatment of the disease. Although most students had a high level of epilepsy knowledge, they had negative attitudes especially toward dating and marriage with epileptic individuals. Female, clinical students, those who witnessed epileptic seizures, and those who had a higher level of knowledge about epilepsy had more positive attitudes towards epilepsy (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Negative attitudes towards epilepsy patients still exist among health science students in Turkey. Health sciences faculty education programs should be designed to increase the epilepsy awareness of students. Increasing the level of knowledge and awareness may lead to better attitudes.
Perception of epilepsy in Turkey in the light of two different cities
Acta clinica Croatica, 2013
The aim of this study was to investigate the perception of epilepsy in Turkey, from west to east, in Kutahya and Yuksekova, two cities of different sociocultural and ethnic status. This was a retrospective comparison study which evaluated the results of two prior studies investigating stigmatization of patients diagnosed with epilepsy and their first-degree relatives in two different cities of Turkey, Kutahya and Yuksekova. The Survey of Epileptic Patient Relatives on the Knowledge, Attitudes, and Behavior Regarding the Disorder was used and included questions on descriptive characteristics, familiarity with epilepsy, attitudes toward epilepsy, and understanding of epilepsy. Data collected by use of the SPSS 15.0 software were analyzed with chi2-test. In Yuksekova group, 88.5% of first-degree relatives of people with epilepsy felt primarily fear when they heard the diagnosis of epilepsy in their relatives; in Kutahya group, the respective rate was 19.1% (p < 0.05). The number of ...
Public knowledge and attitudes toward epilepsy in Kuwait
Epilepsia, 2008
and †Ministry of Health, Kuwait SUMMARY Purpose: The study was conducted to determine the familiarity with, knowledge of, misunderstandings, and attitudes toward epilepsy among the Kuwaiti population. Methods: A pretested questionnaire was used to collect data from a sample of 784 Kuwaiti individuals, selected from five governorates in Kuwait using a multistage stratified clustered sampling. Results: Seven hundred fifty-five subjects were interviewed, and 97.6% reported their awareness about epilepsy. Of these, 51.8% knew someone who had epilepsy, 56.4% had witnessed an epileptic seizure, 45.9% believed that epilepsy is a hereditary disease, 60.4% reported that "all epileptic fits manifest symptoms of generalized tonic-clonic seizure," 88.3% indicated that putting an object into the patient's mouth to prevent tongue biting during a seizure is appropriate, and 57.1% stated that drug therapy was the only treatment avail-able for epilepsy. Objections to shake hands with, working with, marrying, and employing epileptic patients were reported by 16.0%, 24.8%, 71.6%, and 45.2%, respectively. Childbirth by epileptic women and allowing children to play with an epileptic child were opposed by 56.3% and 27.7%, respectively. A total of 370 (50.2%) agreed that epilepsy is equivalent to psychiatric disorder. Discussion: The present findings have demonstrated that epilepsy is a well-known disease in Kuwait, and that negative attitudes toward epilepsy do prevail in Kuwait. The majority of the negative attitudes were significantly associated with the misunderstanding of epilepsy. Continuing effective educational interventions would be needed in order to improve the appropriate understanding of epilepsy, and to ameliorate the social discrimination and misconceptions against epileptic patients.
Turkish validity and reliability study of public attitudes towards epilepsy (PATE) scale
Annals of Medical Research, 2020
This study was conducted for the purpose of adapting the Public Attitudes Toward Epilepsy Scale (PATE) for the Turkish context and determining its validity and reliability. Material and Methods: This is a methodological research and conducted in a family health centre located in the eastern Turkey between February 2018 and September 2018. In this study, 268 individuals, who were older than 18 years and registered in a Family Health Centre, were reached. Results: The result of the KMO test was determined to be 0.783 and that of Bartlett's test 1002.772, and both were observed to be significant at a level of p , 0.001. Conclusion: Our study determined that the Turkish version of the PATE has validity and reliability and can be used in Turkish society.
Bangladesh Journal of Medical Science, 2017
Objective: Patients beliefs determine their response to an illness and its management especially if it is chronic. Studies assessing patient's knowledge of their epilepsy are scarce. We report the first objective study evaluating knowledge, attitude and practices of epilepsy patients referred to a tertiary care centre in East Coast of Malaysia. Materials and Methods: A cross sectional study using pre-tested, semi-structured questionnaire among consenting epilepsy patients. Results: The demographic details and responses to a questionnaire assessing their insight towards epilepsy were recorded. Among 132 respondents, 51.5% were male and 48.5 % were female. Their age ranged from 14 to 70 years (mean = 31.63 ± 13.41). Majority (53.8%) of them aged equal or less than 30 years. The median number of years they had epilepsy was 8.0 (4.0, 18.8) years and average duration of seizure prior to seeking medical attention was 1.0 (0.3, 4.5) years. The average number of years they were receiving treatment from a hospital was 5.50 ± 5.84. Most (90.9%) did not know the cause of epilepsy; however 93.9 % were aware that it can be treated with modern drugs. While only 22.7 % believed that faith healers can treat epilepsy, 74.2% had tried other forms of treatment. Negative attitude was reflected in the belief that epilepsy is due to supernatural powers (1.5%) and that epilepsy is contagious (17.4 %). Positive attitude included that PWE can take a job (66.7%), allowing a child with epilepsy to study (80%), not objecting children to play with a child with epilepsy (54.5%), marry (65.9%) and having children (58.3%). Conclusions: Patients with epilepsy are not knowledgeable about their disorder. This is true regardless of age, educational background, or number of years with epilepsy. The results suggest that there is a critical need to enhance epilepsy education and improve attitudes towards epilepsy beyond seizure control.
Epilepsy & Behavior, 2009
The main goal of this study was to evaluate knowledge of, perceptions of, and attitudes toward epilepsy and then to correlate knowledge with quality of life and stigmatization of children with epilepsy and their families. Specific questionnaires were administered to children aged 8 to 17 with epilepsy (n = 220) and their parents (n = 313). Poor school performance, less social support, less self-esteem, higher anxiety, greater stigmatization, and more depressive symptoms were documented in children who were less knowledgeable (P < 0.05). Parents were found to be more knowledgeable about the antiepileptic drugs used, understanding both the effects and the side effects of the medications (P < 0.05). Family activities were less restricted if they were more knowledgeable and these parents reported worrying less about their children (P < 0.05). Knowledge about epilepsy is associated with less perceived stigmatization and social isolation, as well as fewer depressive symptoms and misperceptions.
Knowledge, attitudes, and stigma towards epilepsy in different walks of life: A study in Georgia
Epilepsy & Behavior, 2013
We conducted a survey to assess public awareness of epilepsy and stigma expression in different social groups in Tbilisi, Georgia. Respondents were divided into those from a medical or paramedical background, those with a nonmedical professional background, and a group with unskilled workers or unemployed individuals. One thousand and sixteen people completed a Knowledge, Attitude and Perception questionnaire. Medical and paramedical professionals had a better general knowledge about epilepsy, its possible causes, and its nature, but their views on treatment and attitudes towards epilepsy were the same or worse when compared to the other groups. Of the respondent, 14% would not let their children play with people with epilepsy, and 75% would not allow their children to marry a person with epilepsy. Nearly a third of teachers considered epilepsy a psychiatric disorder. This suggests a high degree of stigma towards epilepsy in Georgia. Increasing awareness is crucial to ameliorate this.