title: Teachers' knowledge about epilepsy in Greece: Information sources and attitudes towards children with epilepsy during school time.
abstract: The aim of this study was to explore the sources of information for the educators in Greek primary and secondary schools with regard to epilepsy, first aid to seizures, and pupils' health conditions.
  
  
  
  A semistructured anonymous 52-item questionnaire was sent to 100 public primary and secondary Greek schools from all districts. Two thousand thirty-seven teachers were approached; 446 questionnaires returned. The data were analyzed with SPSS20. Also, 70 head teachers were phone-interviewed with an open-ended unstructured questionnaire. The derived data were analyzed using mixed methodology.
  
  
  
  Twenty-two percent of the addressed educational community responded to the questionnaire, mostly women (66.6%). More responses came from urban areas (71.5%). The main source for the teachers to obtain information about epilepsy was found to be personal experience (37.75%) and internet (34.93%). Only a small percentage was referred to courses (6.2%). Eighty point three percent of the educators knew what epilepsy is, and 88.1% had the right view about the nature of the illness. However, 92% of the educators replied that they have not had adequate first aid training. Although 80.3% of the teachers believed that the school personnel are aware of the pupils' medical history, 85.48% of the teachers considered that they are informed about the pupils' condition from the parents/carers, and only 5.53% believed that the information came from the family doctor. Ninety-five point seventy percent of the educators declared a wish for further information and training about epilepsy.
  
  
  
  Knowledge and attitudes of the educators towards epilepsy are improved compared with those reported in previous studies conducted in Greece. However, there are still areas of uncertainty which need improvement. The necessity for more information about epilepsy and pupils' medical history along with appropriate training about seizure incidents seems crucial for the Greek educational community. Educational campaigns about epilepsy could improve teachers' knowledge of epilepsy to develop a well-informed and tolerant community. Further research in the field is necessary to provide teachers with accurate information about the illness and the ways to cope with it.
authors.affiliation: Ministry of Health, Aristotelous 17, P.C. 10433, Greece. Electronic address: matinakki@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Matina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kampra
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospital of North Midlands NHS Trust, UK. Electronic address: ntzerakis@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Nikolaos G
authors.initials: NG
authors.lastname: Tzerakis
authors.affiliation: University of Piraeus, Karaoli Dimitriou 80, P.C. 18534 Piraeus, Greece. Electronic address: losidis_sotiris@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Sotiris
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Losidis
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Children's Hospital of Athens "P. and A. Kyriakou", Thivon and Levadias str, Athens P.C. 115 27, Greece. Electronic address: pectasid@otenet.gr.
authors.forename: Efstathia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Katsarou
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Children's Hospital of Athens "P. and A. Kyriakou", Thivon and Levadias str, Athens P.C. 115 27, Greece. Electronic address: voudrisk@otenet.gr.
authors.forename: Konstantinos
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Voudris
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Children's Hospital of Athens "P. and A. Kyriakou", Thivon and Levadias str, Athens P.C. 115 27, Greece. Electronic address: smastr@otenet.gr.
authors.forename: Sotiria
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mastroyianni
authors.affiliation: Children's Hospital "P & A Kyriakou", Athens 115 27, Greece. Electronic address: stelli_m@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Stella
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mouskou
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, "Evangelismos" Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University, Greece. Electronic address: asiatuni@yahoo.gr.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Siatouni
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, "Evangelismos" Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University, Greece. Electronic address: sgatzon@med.uoa.gr.
authors.forename: Stylianos
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gatzonis
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001364:Awareness; D002648:Child; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006115:Greece / Q000453:epidemiology; D006266:Health Education / Q000639:trends; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology; D000070777:School Teachers / Q000523:psychology*; D012574:Schools / Q000639:trends*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Children; Education; Epilepsy; Information; Stigma; Teachers