Are what people know about their epilepsy and what they want from an epilepsy service related?

This study set out to investigate the level of knowledge about epilepsy in general and in relation to the patients' own condition, in patients attending a tertiary referral epilepsy outpatient clinic. It also sought to investigate patient satisfaction with the service and whether knowledge acquired about epilepsy related to that satisfaction. Seventy out of 94 patients responded to the Epilepsy Knowledge Profile Questionnaires (general and personal knowledge of epilepsy) and a questionnaire assessing service satisfaction. Patients were found to know more about epilepsy in general than about their own condition. In particular some patients were unable to give accurate indications of their drug regimes. Over 91% were satisfied with the serviced they received but this bore no relation to information they had acquired or wanted about epilepsy. Multidisciplinary services were requested by a sizeable percentage of patients but especially access to a specialist nurse in epilepsy. The study highlights the need for clinicians to check patients' knowledge about their condition and for further work to clarify the source of patients' satisfaction with service delivery.