Factors associated with knowledge and attitudes in persons with epilepsy

Abstract

Treating persons with epilepsy (PWE) in developing countries may be different from elsewhere. Knowledge and attitudes of PWE are known to be associated with seizure control. This study aims to evaluate factors related with the knowledge and attitudes of PWE in northeastern Thailand. A cross-sectional survey using questionnaires and interviews was undertaken at the Khon Kaen University epilepsy clinic. The questionnaire comprised 22 questions (14 knowledge questions and 8 attitude questions). Two hundred three PWE participated in the study with a mean age of 36.5 years. Four factors were significantly associated with the knowledge about epilepsy, which included education level, age, epilepsy duration, and a history of experiencing antiepileptic medication side effects. In addition, there were four factors significantly associated with the attitudes about epilepsy, which included seizure control, education level, epilepsy duration, and marital status. There is a need to provide more education, preferably community based, to help PWE obtain more accurate information.