Teachers and epilepsy: What they know, do not know, and need to know: A cross-sectional study of Taif City

Abstract

Objective: The main aim of this study was to assess schoolteachers’ knowledge of and attitudes toward epilepsy in Taif City, in the western region of Saudi Arabia. Method: A structured 28-item questionnaire was distributed to and collected from 290 schoolteachers between November 2017 and November 2018 in Taif City. Results: Generally, a negative attitude toward epilepsy was observed in this study. Of the 290 schoolteachers in this study, 80% had prior knowledge regarding epilepsy and 72% had witnessed a seizure. Only 2% of the participants expressed the thought that epilepsy is contagious but 59% of them expressed the thought that epilepsy is a mental disease. With respect to attitude, 64% of the participants reported that they would not approve of their daughter/son marrying someone with epilepsy. This attitude correlates with age and marital status as the prevalence of this attitude was higher among those who were either over 40 years old or married ( P < 0.05). Although 73% of the participants stated that they know the correct management procedure to follow when helping an epilepsy patient during a seizure, inadequate practices are still performed by many. Finally, almost two-thirds of the respondents (66%) expressed the opinion that top-ranking professions are not suitable for people with epilepsy. This belief was twice as common among older respondents as it was among younger respondents ( P < 0.05). Conclusion: This study concludes that schoolteachers’ knowledge regarding epilepsy is limited and that an immediate intervention through educational campaigns is required to develop a well-informed community.

Improving public stigma, sociocultural beliefs, and social identity for people with epilepsy in the Aseer region of Saudi Arabia

“…The ability of PWE to practice daily activities, such as driving a car, has been a considerable issue globally, where the challenge is to find a balance between viability and safety exists [65] , [66] . Although it is a primary concern, a large proportion of respondents did believe in the feasibility of PWE to drive, which is greater than recently reported in Saudi Arabia [13] , [15] , [56] and consistent with a study in Taif City [41] . On the other hand, only one-third of the respondents thought that patients could participate in sporting activities.…”

“…The percentage of respondents who agreed they would marry or allow the marriage of their offspring to PWE was considerably lower than those reported in Qassim [38] , Al-Kharj [18] , Majmaah [37] , and Jeddah [15] , and developed countries, such as Austria [61] , and New Zealand [52] . However, this was higher than prior studies in Aseer [19] , Taif [41] , and other Saudi regions [13] , [36] and remained higher compared to other populations, including Greece [48] , Jordan [44] , the UAE [45] , and Egypt [62] . These contradictions could be due to the impact of local traditions, where marriage is mostly arranged and authorized by the parents.…”

“…Significant progress was shown in understanding epilepsy, its clinical aspects, etiology, risk factors, genetic background, and therapeutic options among respondents. The percentage of knowledgable respondents of epilepsy rose in comparison to other studies from different cities in Saudi [13] , [18] , [19] , [36] , [37] , [38] , [39] , [40] , [41] . This could reflect the differences in participant's level of education imparting greater awareness of the disorder.…”

“…On the other hand, only one-third of the respondents thought that patients could participate in sporting activities. A much higher percentage was found in Jeddah [13] , Taif [41] , and the UAE [44] . This finding could indicate a gap in understanding restrictions and proper precautions required for PWE.…”

Teachers and Epilepsy in Saudi Arabia: Gaps in Knowledge and Potential Roles

“…Two studies in Tabuk and Taif found that 56.4% to 59% of the studied teachers thought it was a psychological disorder. 29 , 31 There has been a significant change in the knowledge of the cause of epilepsy over time. The majority of recent studies have shown that most teachers believe it is related to a neurological disorder.…”