title: Beliefs on epilepsy in Northern Ghana.
abstract: Stigma associated with any chronic disease is one of the greatest challenges to the treatment of the disease. Stigma in health is a complex concept, and it causes people with a stigmatizing disease to conceal their disorder. Epilepsy is one such condition with numerous outdated, sometimes inhumane, and sometimes absurd perceptions that tend to fuel its stigma. Health-care workers who participated in an epilepsy training program as part of a World Health Organization/Ghana Health Service collaboration were asked to compile the perceptions associated with epilepsy in their communities. The comments they gathered are presented here.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, University of Ghana Medical School, Korle Bu, Accra, Ghana; Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Accra, Ghana. Electronic address: adjeipatrickk@yahoo.co.uk.
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Adjei
authors.forename: Albert
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Akpalu
authors.forename: Ruth
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Laryea
authors.forename: Kojo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nkromah
authors.forename: Cynthia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sottie
authors.forename: Sammy
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ohene
authors.forename: Akwasi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Osei
mesh_terms: D003469:Culture; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D005869:Ghana / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010465:Perception; D057545:Social Stigma
keywords: Beliefs; Epilepsy; Ghana; Perceptions; Stigma