title: Community knowledge of and attitudes toward epilepsy in rural and urban Mukono district, Uganda: A cross-sectional study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The lack of adequate knowledge poses a barrier in the provision of appropriate treatment and care of patients with epilepsy within the community. The purpose of this study was to determine the knowledge of and attitude towards epilepsy and its treatment by community dwellers in Uganda.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross sectional population survey was conducted in urban and rural Mukono district, central Uganda. Adult respondents through multistage stratified sampling were interviewed about selected aspects of epilepsy knowledge, attitudes, and perception using a pretested structured questionnaire.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ninety-one percent of the study respondents had heard or read about epilepsy or knew someone who had epilepsy and had seen someone having a seizure. Thirty-seven percent of the respondents did not know the cause of epilepsy, while 29% cited genetic causes. About seventeen percent of the subjects believed that epilepsy is contagious. Only 5.6% (21/377) of the respondents would take a patient with epilepsy to hospital for treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Adults in Mukono are very acquainted with epilepsy but have many erroneous beliefs about the condition. Negative attitudes are pervasive within communities in Uganda. The national epilepsy awareness programs need to clarify the purported modes of transmission of epilepsy, available treatment options, and care offered during epileptic seizures during community sensitizations in our settings.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Makerere University College of Health Sciences, P.O. Box 7072, Kampala, Uganda. Electronic address: kaddumark@yahoo.co.uk.
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kaddumukasa
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, School of Medicine, Makerere University College of Health Sciences, P.O. Box 7072, Kampala, Uganda. Electronic address: Angelina-Kakooza@yahoo.co.uk.
authors.forename: Angelina
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kakooza
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Makerere University College of Health Sciences, P.O. Box 7072, Kampala, Uganda. Electronic address: jkkayima@gmail.com.
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kayima
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Makerere University College of Health Sciences, P.O. Box 7072, Kampala, Uganda. Electronic address: kaddumart@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Martin N
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Kaddumukasa
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, St. Raphael of St. Francis Nsambya Hospital, Nkozi University, P.O. Box 7146, Kampala, Uganda. Electronic address: ddumbaentamuezala@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Edward
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ddumba
authors.affiliation: Infectious Diseases Research Collaboration, Mulago Hill Road, MUJHU3 Building, P.O. Box 7475, Kampala, Uganda. Electronic address: lmugenyi005@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Levi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mugenyi
authors.affiliation: University Hospitals Case Medical Center, Neurological Institute Case Western Reserve University, 11100 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA. Electronic address: Anthony.Furlan@UHhospitals.org.
authors.forename: Anthony
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Furlan
authors.affiliation: University Hospitals Case Medical Center, Neurological Institute Case Western Reserve University, 11100 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA. Electronic address: Samden.Lhatoo@UHhospitals.org.
authors.forename: Samden
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lhatoo
authors.affiliation: Neurological and Behavioral Outcomes Center, University Hospitals Case Medical Center, 11100 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA. Electronic address: Martha.Sajatovic@UHhospitals.org.
authors.forename: Martha
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sajatovic
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Makerere University College of Health Sciences, P.O. Box 7072, Kampala, Uganda. Electronic address: katabira@imul.com.
authors.forename: Elly
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Katabira
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004827:Epilepsy; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012424:Rural Population; D014454:Uganda; D014505:Urban Population
keywords: Africa; Attitudes; Epilepsy; Knowledge; Practices