title: Online epilepsy counseling in Croatia: What do users want to know?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study is to better understand which specific epilepsy-related issues are cause for seeking out professional advice online.
  
  
  METHODS
  An online epilepsy counseling service introduced by the Croatian Epilepsy Association allows users to anonymously submit questions related to epilepsy via e-mail or online contact form, which are later answered by an epilepsy professional. The questions were classified both by inquirers and by content. Inquirers were classified as patients, patient's parents, family members, partners, and friends of patients with epilepsy. In terms of content, questions were divided into three groups: medical, socially-oriented, and unclassifiable questions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In sum, 355 e-mails, which included 513 questions, were analyzed. The vast majority of inquirers were patients themselves (48%) and parents of patients (28%). While 76% of questions concerned the medical aspects of epilepsy, there was as well significant interest in administrative and practical issues associated with the diagnosis of epilepsy. Among medical questions, the most popular concerned prognosis (15%) and second opinions (14%); among socially-oriented questions, inquirers were primarily interested in matters associated with their profession (28%). As well, the parents of patients were more likely to question an epilepsy diagnosis than the patients themselves (p<0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  According to the results of this study, it is clear that epilepsy professionals should invest more time in discussing with patients the topics which interest them the most, as well as refer them to other professionals that can help them with non-medical epilepsy-related issues, and advise them on reliable Internet sources.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Sveti Duh University Hospital, Sveti Duh 64, Zagreb, Croatia. Electronic address: marina0802@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Marina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Milošević
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Sveti Duh University Hospital, Sveti Duh 64, Zagreb, Croatia.
authors.forename: Latica
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Friedrich
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Sveti Duh University Hospital, Sveti Duh 64, Zagreb, Croatia; School of Medicine Josip Juraj Strossmayer, University of Osijek, Osijek, Croatia.
authors.forename: Sanja
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tomasović
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Sveti Duh University Hospital, Sveti Duh 64, Zagreb, Croatia; School of Medicine Josip Juraj Strossmayer, University of Osijek, Osijek, Croatia.
authors.forename: Ivan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Bielen
mesh_terms: D003376:Counseling; D017523:Croatia / Q000453:epidemiology; D004569:Electroencephalography; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D009862:Online Systems; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology; D012189:Retrospective Studies
keywords: Counseling; Epilepsy; Internet; Online