An epilepsy questionnaire study of knowledge and attitudes in Canadian college students.
OBJECTIVE
Controversy exists about the relation of societal knowledge and attitudes regarding epilepsy. We conducted a survey to examine knowledge and attitudes, to note gender and occupational influences, and to examine the effect of an informational brochure.


METHODS
We administered a standardized questionnaire that noted demographics and examined knowledge and attitudes regarding epilepsy and persons with epilepsy, respectively, to a wide variety of Canadian college students. In a separate class we gave every other student a brochure regarding epilepsy and then administered the questionnaire to both the naïve and brochure-exposed students.


RESULTS
Knowledge was patchy and weakest for the approximate prevalence of epilepsy in the population, hereditary epilepsy and several other etiologies, recognition of nonconvulsive seizures as a type of epilepsy, and knowledge of antiepileptic drug-induced teratogenicity. In contrast, attitudes were more uniformly favorable. However, 11 and 14%, respectively, showed negative bias against persons with epilepsy having children and equal opportunity for occupational employment. Women were slightly but significantly more tolerant than men. The brochure-exposed group showed better knowledge but equivalent attitudes compared with the naïve group.


CONCLUSIONS
Results compare favorably with surveys in other countries. Although knowledge was patchy, it could be easily improved on with an educational brochure. Attitudes were positive but show some discrepancies from knowledge and a gender effect.
Young
G Bryan
GB
The Epilepsy Unit, London Health Sciences Centre, Ontario, Canada. bryan.young@lhsc.on.ca
Derry
Paul
P
Hutchinson
Ingrid
I
John
Verity
V
Matijevic
Suzan
S
Parrent
Lisa
L
Wiebe
Samuel
S
D000328:Adult; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001294:Attitude to Health; D002170:Canada / Q000453:epidemiology; D003625:Data Collection; D004651:Employment; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006266:Health Education / Q000379:methods; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009790:Occupations; D010174:Pamphlets; D012737:Sex Factors; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D000927:Anticonvulsants