Perception of stigma and associated factors in people with epilepsy at Amanuel Specialized Mental Hospital, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
OBJECTIVE
Stigma is a major problem for people living with epilepsy. Perceived stigma may be more prevalent than enacted stigma and causes excessive worry for the individual even if it does not arise from a social interaction. Therefore, we assessed perceived stigma and associated factors among people with epilepsy.


METHODS
An institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted from April to May, 2013, among 423 samples of people with epilepsy.


RESULTS
One hundred sixty-nine (40.7%) of the respondents perceived as they were stigmatised by other people with 19.5% highly stigmatised by their illness. Most of the respondents (54.9%) had one or more seizure attacks per month, 61.9% were under monotherapy and 52.5% had no side effects of antiepileptic drugs. Those respondents who were from rural, low income, divorced/widowed, with frequent seizure attack and side effects of antiepileptic drugs were more likely to felt stigmatised by other people due to their illness.


CONCLUSIONS
Perceived stigma was found to be a common problem among people living with epilepsy. Therefore, the finding suggests that the need of creating awareness and addressing incorrect conceptions attached to epilepsy.
a College of Medicine and Health Science , Bahir Dar University , Bahir Dar , Ethiopia.
Minale Tareke
MT
Tegegne
a College of Medicine and Health Science , Bahir Dar University , Bahir Dar , Ethiopia.
Andargie Abate
AA
Awoke
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000208:ethnology*; D005002:Ethiopia / Q000208:ethnology; D005260:Female; D006778:Hospitals, Psychiatric / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012938:Social Perception; D057545:Social Stigma; D055815:Young Adult
Epilepsy; perception; stigma