Knowledge, attitudes and practice towards epilepsy among medical staff in Southern China: Does the level of hospitals make a difference?

Abstract

To assess knowledge, attitudes, and practice (KAP) toward epilepsy among medical staff from different levels of hospitals in Southern China. Method: An adapted and structured questionnaire was administered to medical personnel from tertiary (n = 451) and basic-level (n = 448) hospitals in Southern China. The questionnaire comprised of three domains which consisted of 6 items for awareness, 12 items for knowledge and a 14 item scale for attitudes. Results: Almost 40% of medical staff in basic-level hospitals held that epilepsy could be caused by evil spirits/ eyes, or transmitted from other patients, which was almost 6 times higher than that of tertiary hospitals. The mean score from general knowledge about epilepsy was higher among medical staff in tertiary hospitals than in basic-level hospitals. The mean scores in the general and personal domain of the Chinese Public Attitudes Toward Epilepsy (CPATE) scale were both significantly lower among medical staff in tertiary hospitals, when compared to those of basic-level hospitals. Conclusions: The overall KAP from medical staff in response to seizures, was found to be better in tertiary hospitals than those of basic-level hospitals in Southern China, which was associated with the education level and impact of traditional culture. To date, there is a need for effective public intervention programs in China to improve the awareness of epilepsy and reduce discrimination among medical workers, especially for those working in basic-level hospitals in rural regions, to finally promote a better living environment for patients with epilepsy in China.

Knowledge, Anxiety, Depression, and Sleep Quality Among Medical Staff in Central South Areas of China During the Break of COVID-19: Does the Level of Hospitals Make a Difference?

“…Some demographic characteristics have been found to be related with health workers' knowledge and attitudes toward a certain disease, including age, title, education level, and hospital levels ( 14 – 16 ). Yang et al indicated the knowledge and response to seizures among medical staff in tertiary hospitals were better than those of basic-level hospitals ( 18 ). Interestingly, we found the level of hospitals may also affect their health workers' understanding of COVID-19 during the epidemic outbreak.…”

“…Medical staff were classified into two groups according to the level of hospitals they worked in based on the Hospital Classification Standards in China. General hospitals in China are categorized into three levels: the first-level hospitals should provide the basic medical care, prevention, rehabilitation, and health care services in small or medium-sized towns ( 18 ), the second-level hospital hospitals have to provide diagnosis and treatment of common and frequently occurring diseases, receiving referral patients from primary medical institutions and tertiary hospitals and undertaking teaching, training and scientific research tasks ( 18 , 19 ), and the third-level hospitals are responsible for providing the maximum range of medical knowledge and technical infrastructure in diagnostics and treatment of almost all diseases ( 18 , 20 ). In this study, the first-level and second-level hospitals were considered as basic-level hospitals and the third-level hospitals were considered as tertiary hospitals.…”

“…Bhagavathula et al indicated a correlation between certain demographic characteristic, such as age and occupation, and both inadequate knowledge and worse mental status toward COVID-19 (17). Besides, previous studies found hospital levels were related to their health workers' attitudes and knowledge toward certain diseases, such as epilepsy (18). However, there is still no research on whether the level of hospitals would affect the knowledge and mental status toward COVID-19 among medical staff in China.…”

Investigation of Anxiety, Depression, Sleep, and Family Function in Caregivers of Children With Epilepsy

“…As children develop physically and psychologically, sick children often develop psychobehavioral abnormalities, such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, autism, and mood disorders that affect the child's education, future work, and marital status ( 5 ). In addition to comprehensive care for the child, caregivers of children with epilepsy also need to deal with developmental problems, educational and marital problems, and the stigma caused by the disease ( 6 ). It has been shown that most parents of children with epilepsy have negative perceptions of others' reactions (53.3%).…”

The Mediating Roles of Family Resilience and Social Support in the Relationship Between Illness Severity and Depressive Symptoms Among Primary Caregivers of Children With Epilepsy in China

“…The possible reason for this difference is that children with epilepsy affect caregivers' mental adaptation beyond the effects of family resilience and social support alone. For example, due to social misconceptions and negative attitudes, epilepsy is regarded as a kind of mental illness in China, the families often experience severe stigma, especially in rural areas (42). This is considered as the greatest handicap for people with epilepsy rather than the disability caused by recurrent seizures, causing families tremendous psychological burden (43)(44)(45).…”