Treatments and perceptions of epilepsy in Kashmir and the United States: a cross-cultural analysis.
Treatments and perceptions of epilepsy have been found to vary across cultures. This study draws on a comparison of two patient samples, one from the United States (n=28), the other from Kashmir (n=29), to gauge the similarities and differences in social perceptions of epilepsy, attitudes toward conventional and alternative treatments, practice of conventional and alternative treatments, and selected quality-of-life issues. While both the Kashmiri and American patients interviewed were prescribed a similar regimen of traditional antiepileptic drugs, a wider range of drugs and treatments were available to and used by the latter. The use of adjunctive spiritual therapies was more prevalent in the Kashmiri sample, and the use of alternative, nonpharmacological therapies was more prevalent in the American sample. Quality of life for the Kashmiri patients sampled was found to be poorer in terms of educational and occupational opportunities, feelings of stigmatization, and openness with others about the illness. Although the two patient populations interviewed differed in their access to resources and approaches to the disorder, both samples were found to be similar overall in many attitudes and practices relating to epilepsy and its treatment.
Khan
Alisa
A
Department of Neurology, Pediatric Epilepsy Program, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA.
Huerter
Victoria
V
Sheikh
Saleem M
SM
Thiele
Elizabeth A
EA
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001209:Asia, Central / Q000453:epidemiology; D001294:Attitude to Health; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D000529:Complementary Therapies / Q000379:methods; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010465:Perception; D011788:Quality of Life; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology
D000927:Anticonvulsants