KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDE AND PRACTICE OF EPILEPSY AMONG HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS IN A TERTIARY CARE CENTER IN RAJASTHAN

BACKGROND: Despite recent advances in the management of epilepsy the efforts to assess knowledge, attitude and practice towards epilepsy are limited, particularly in the developing countries. OBJECTIVE: To delineate the magnitude and scope of this problem, present study was conducted amongst various health personals, which may help in planning awareness programme for them. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Self-administered questionnaire was completed by all study subjects. In order to analyze possible difference in answers among courses that deal more directly with the patients with epilepsy and the other group who are not directly dealing with the epilepsy patients, the sample was divided into 2 groups. Group 1 included nursing students and nursing faculty and group 2 included physiotherapy students and physiotherapy faculty. RESULTS: Most of our study subjects had heard about epilepsy except Nursing GNM students (20%). Most of the participants in Group B (>70%) and the B.Sc. students (>55%) in comparison to nursing faculty (approx. 15%) believed that epilepsy is a mental illness. Majority (60.3%) of the members of both groups considered epilepsy as hindrance in life but curable. 20% of participants considered epilepsy as hereditary. Most of the faculty (nursing and physiotherapy) was of the opinion that epilepsy could be treated with Ayurvedic or Homeopathic medicine also. CONCLUSION: There are major gaps in the knowledge of health care persons for this disease. Misconceptions about epilepsy, are widely prevalent. The present day education, therefore, does not seem to influence the prejudices against persons with epilepsy. Requirement of special education programme is felt to dispel myths and misconceptions about epilepsy.