title: Teachers of various school grades and representations of epilepsy: problems, relational aspects and perspectives of life quality.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The analysis of the representations of the health of their students by teachers is key to the understanding of the attitudes and behaviors that, in general, take place inside the school community and the educational processes. In fact, social attitudes by teachers and individual within the school environment are often the result of simple categorization and stereotypes, which hinder the process of evolutionary change.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  On these premises it was necessary to investigate the level of knowledge of the epilepsy syndrome, the representations by a group of teachers of the quality of life of people with epilepsy and the representations of the interpersonal relationships between students with epilepsy and their classmates.
  
  
  METHODS
  We used an ad hoc questionnaire, with 33 multiple choice answers, focusing on these variables: work seniority, experience with epileptic students, special education or main teacher.
  
  
  METHODS
  The sample consisted of 113 female teachers with a mean age of 44.4.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There aren't significant differences between the answers of special education and main teachers: a) teachers with work seniority > 11 years showed a more than adequate knowledge of information about epilepsy. Moreover, in case of seizure in the classroom, first aid is to call an ambulance rather than administering rescue drugs; b) teachers, who have had a real experience, represent the epileptic student as more limited in the possibilities of getting married, having children, finding a job, and practising a sport; c) teachers, who have had a student with epilepsy don't report interpersonal relationships with his/her classmates as being difficult. Moreover, they claim to have inadequate knowledge of the educational strategies needed to integrate the epileptic student with his/her classmates; d) there are some different answers for primary school teachers and for secondary school teachers.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Teachers demonstrate inaccurate information about epilepsy, its impact in educational contexts and management of seizures in the classroom. Also, critical areas have emerged indicating efforts should focus on education, sharing the role of teacher, awareness and integration in the class group.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Salerno, via Allende, 84081, Baronissi, Italy. gsavarese@unisa.it.
authors.forename: Giulia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Savarese
authors.affiliation: Centre of Psychological Counseling "Michele Cesaro", University of Salerno, Baronissi, Italy. lunacarpinelli@hotmail.it.
authors.forename: Luna
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Carpinelli
authors.affiliation: Lab H, University of Salerno, Fisciano, Italy. delia.daniela@hotmail.it.
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: D'Elia
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Salerno, Baronissi, Italy. gcoppola@unisa.it.
authors.forename: Giangennaro
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Coppola
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000523:psychology*; D005178:Faculty; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires