Wubetu Abate Dargie, Admasu Basha Elyas, Alemnew Engidaw Nigus
Department of Psychiatry, Debre Berhan University, Debre Berhan, P.O. Box: 445, Ethiopia.
J Environ Public Health. 2020 Jul 17;2020:6801979. doi: 10.1155/2020/6801979. eCollection 2020.
Epilepsy is a disease of the brain defined by any of the following conditions. First, at least two unprovoked (or reflex) seizures occurring greater than 24 hours apart, and secondly, the presence of one unprovoked (or reflex) seizure and a probability of further seizures. Due to persisted misunderstandings and negative attitudes, individuals living with epilepsy live with a poor quality of life. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the community general knowledge about epilepsy and attitude towards person living with epilepsy and its associated factors.
A community-based cross-sectional study conducted from March 10 to June 10, 2019, to assess the community general knowledge and attitude towards epilepsy and its associated factors. Data were entered into Epi data version 3.1 and transported to SPSS version 21 for analysis.
596 study participants participated in a response rate of 98%. Among the study participants, 43.6% (95% CI: 39.6, 47.5) had poor knowledge and 41.3% (95% CI: 37.4, 45.1) had an unfavorable attitude. Lack of modern education, married, never witnessed a seizure, and not hearing the term epilepsy showed statistically significant association with poor knowledge about epilepsy. Lack of modern education, earning less than 1000 Ethiopian birr, not witnessing seizure, not hearing the term epilepsy, and half to one-hour walking time from health facility variables showed statistically significant association with the unfavorable attitude about epilepsy.
The current study revealed that nearly half of Debre Berhan dwellers have deficits in terms of general knowledge about epilepsy and attitude towards a person living with epilepsy. Poor knowledge about epilepsy and unfavorable attitude towards a person living with epilepsy are likely to have an important impact on stigmatization and treatment-seeking behavior, and it should be given due attention. It would be better if health educators give special emphasis for the individuals with predictors of poor knowledge and unfavorable attitude.
癫痫是一种脑部疾病，由以下任何一种情况定义。第一，至少两次无诱因（或反射性）发作，发作间隔超过24小时；第二，存在一次无诱因（或反射性）发作且有再次发作的可能性。由于持续存在的误解和消极态度，癫痫患者的生活质量较差。因此，本研究旨在评估社区对癫痫的一般知识、对癫痫患者的态度及其相关因素。
2019年3月10日至6月10日进行了一项基于社区的横断面研究，以评估社区对癫痫的一般知识、对癫痫的态度及其相关因素。数据录入Epi data 3.1版本，并传输至SPSS 21版本进行分析。
596名研究参与者参与了研究，应答率为98%。在研究参与者中，43.6%（95%置信区间：39.6，47.5）知识水平较差，41.3%（95%置信区间：37.4，45.1）态度不佳。缺乏现代教育、已婚、从未目睹过癫痫发作以及未听说过癫痫一词与对癫痫的知识水平差存在统计学显著关联。缺乏现代教育、收入低于1000埃塞俄比亚比尔、未目睹癫痫发作、未听说过癫痫一词以及距离医疗机构步行时间为半小时至一小时等变量与对癫痫的不良态度存在统计学显著关联。
当前研究表明，德布雷伯汉近一半居民在癫痫一般知识和对癫痫患者的态度方面存在不足。对癫痫的知识水平差和对癫痫患者的不良态度可能对污名化和寻求治疗行为产生重要影响，应予以充分关注。如果健康教育工作者对知识水平差和态度不佳的预测因素个体给予特别强调会更好。
