Epilepsy: What do health-care professionals in Riyadh know?

Abstract

Purpose: The objective of this study was to report on the knowledge of epilepsy, as well as attitudes and practices toward individuals with epilepsy, among health-care professionals in Riyadh, the capital city of Saudi Arabia. Methods: A survey consisting of 23 questions pertaining to epilepsy awareness was distributed to health education workers (n. = 51), nutritionists (n. = 56), physicians (n. = 265), dentists (n. = 58), pharmacists (n. = 41), nurses (n. = 224), physiotherapists (n. = 65), and fifth-year medical students (n. = 62) in three tertiary hospitals in Riyadh. Results: Of the 822 respondents who completed the questionnaire, 100% had heard about epilepsy, and 92.6% would allow their children to interact with an individual who has epilepsy. However, 67% of respondents would not want their children to marry an individual with epilepsy, 97.9% of respondents believed that individuals with epilepsy should have the same employment opportunities as the general population, 10.5% believe that supernatural power is the cause of epilepsy, 67.2% did not know how to deal with an individual experiencing an epileptic episode, and 56% did not know that surgery was a treatment option for individuals with epilepsy in Saudi Arabia. Of the 822 respondents, 39% would not abide by a physician's advice not to operate a motor vehicle because of their illness, 91% of whom cited problems with the public transportation system as a reason for disregarding the doctor's advice. When asked if the participants had access to any information on how to deal with epilepsy during their professional training, 60.3% had access to such information during their graduate studies. Ninety-eight percent of those with access to this information were physicians and health-care educators (p.