title: A survey of public knowledge, attitudes, and practices with respect to epilepsy in Badissa village, centre region of Cameroon.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to assess knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) with respect to epilepsy in Badissa, as part of a series of studies mandated by the Cameroon Ministry of Public Health.
  
  
  METHODS
  We interviewed 164 subjects face-to-face during a door-to-door survey.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All of the subjects had heard about epilepsy; 98.8% knew at least one patient with epilepsy, and 97.6% had seen at least one epileptic seizure. With respect to attitudes, 16% and 32% would respectively prevent their children from associating with and marrying, people with epilepsy; 55.5% would offer people with epilepsy equal employment. The independent determinants of attitudes were the belief that epilepsy is a form of insanity (P=0.004) or is caused by a mental illness (P=0.003), having read about epilepsy (P=0.018), and being married (P=0.007).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study demonstrates a high level of awareness and fairly good knowledge of epilepsy, a lower level of misconceptions, and better attitudes, in the study area confirming our hypothesis of a regional variation in these characteristics. This model of care may be useful in scaling up the epilepsy education program in Cameroon.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine and Specialities, Neurology Unit, Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Yaoundé I, Yaoundé, Cameroon. aknjamnshi@yahoo.co.uk
authors.forename: Alfred K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Njamnshi
authors.forename: Faustin N
authors.initials: FN
authors.lastname: Yepnjio
authors.forename: Anne-Cécile Zoung-Kanyi
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Bissek
authors.forename: Earnest N
authors.initials: EN
authors.lastname: Tabah
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ongolo-Zogo
authors.forename: Fidèle
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Dema
authors.forename: Samuel A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Angwafor
authors.forename: Julius Y
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Fonsah
authors.forename: Alain
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lekoubou
authors.forename: Fru F
authors.initials: FF
authors.lastname: Angwafo
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Jallon
authors.forename: Walinjom F T
authors.initials: WF
authors.lastname: Muna
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D002163:Cameroon; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011639:Public Opinion; D055815:Young Adult