Al-Dossari Khaled K, Al-Ghamdi Sameer, Al-Zahrani Jamaan, Abdulmajeed Imad, Alotaibi Maher, Almutairi Humoud, BinSwilim Abdulrahman, Alhatlan Omar
Department of Family Medicine, College of Medicine, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Al-Kharj, Saudi Arabia.
Department of Community Medicine, King Abdulaziz Medical City, National Guard Health Affairs, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Community Medicine, King Abdulaziz Medical City, National Guard Health Affairs, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
J Family Med Prim Care. 2018 Jan-Feb;7(1):184-190. doi: 10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_281_17.
Epilepsy is one of the most stigmatizing disorders. Stigmas and negative attitudes associating epilepsy are due to poor public awareness and knowledge. This study evaluated Saudi public Knowledge, awareness, and attitude towards epilepsy.
A cross-sectional study conducted during the period from September 16, 2014 to January 1st 2015. A 20-item questionnaire adapted from the literature was validated and distributed to 422 adults living in Al-Kharj governorate, and 22 participants were excluded as they have never heard or read about epilepsy.
About 94.79% of participants have heard or read about epilepsy, 63% of them knew someone with epilepsy, and 49.75% have witnessed a seizure attack. Seventy per cent of subjects thought that epilepsy is a neurological disease and 59% believed it is a brain disease. Almost 46.5% selected possession by demons or evil spirits and 51.25% cited envy or evil eye. More than half of subjects selected the medical treatment and follow-up as the most effective treatment of epilepsy. Rather, 41% believed in the faith healing. Most of respondents (81.5%) believed that epileptic children could be successful in normal classes. The vast majority agreed with that epileptic woman can get married and have children. Moreover, 65.25% would allow their offspring to play with epileptic persons and surprisingly, 59% would let their offspring marrying a person with epilepsy. As much as 82.75% agreed to work with epileptic persons and 85.5% would easily become a close friend of them. The equal job opportunity for epileptic and normal persons should be practiced to about 53.75% of subjects. The predictors of good knowledge, limited misconception, and positive attitudes were female gender, being a relative of an epileptic person, and having high educational level.
The public knowledge, awareness of and attitudes toward epilepsy were acceptable with regard to this study. However, the negative attitudes and misconceptions still exist.
癫痫是最具污名化的疾病之一。与癫痫相关的污名和负面态度源于公众意识和知识的匮乏。本研究评估了沙特公众对癫痫的知识、意识和态度。
于2014年9月16日至2015年1月1日期间进行了一项横断面研究。从文献中改编的一份包含20个条目的问卷经过验证后，分发给居住在哈吉尔省的422名成年人，其中22名参与者因从未听说或读到过癫痫而被排除。
约94.79%的参与者听说或读到过癫痫，其中63%认识癫痫患者，49.75%目睹过癫痫发作。70%的受试者认为癫痫是一种神经系统疾病，59%认为是脑部疾病。近46.5%的人选择被恶魔或邪灵附身，51.25%提到嫉妒或邪眼。超过一半的受试者选择药物治疗和随访作为癫痫最有效的治疗方法。相反，41%的人相信信仰疗法。大多数受访者（81.5%）认为癫痫儿童可以在正常班级取得成功。绝大多数人同意癫痫女性可以结婚生子。此外，65.25%的人会允许自己的后代与癫痫患者玩耍，令人惊讶的是，59%的人会让自己的后代与癫痫患者结婚。多达82.75%的人同意与癫痫患者共事，85.5%的人会很容易成为他们的亲密朋友。约53.75%的受试者认为癫痫患者和正常人应享有平等的工作机会。知识丰富、误解有限和态度积极的预测因素为女性、癫痫患者的亲属以及高学历。
就本研究而言，公众对癫痫的知识、意识和态度是可以接受的。然而，负面态度和误解仍然存在。
