Knowledge of epilepsy among persons with epilepsy in Turkey.
PURPOSE
It has been shown in studies that there are knowledge gaps about epilepsy in both developing and developed countries all around the world. Lack of knowledge exists even among people with epilepsy (PWE), and this may affect their lives negatively. This study aimed to evaluate what PWE in Turkey know about their disease.


METHOD
A self-completed questionnaire consisting of demographic details, an item about perceived stigmatization, and 24 items about general knowledge of medical and social aspects of epilepsy was developed. Applicants were asked to answer 'true', 'false', or 'do not know' to each statement. The scores of the questionnaire were defined as low (< 15 point), medium (≥ 15-20), and high (≥ 20).


RESULTS
The mean score on the questionnaire was 15.17 ± 3.74 (range, 4-24). One hundred twenty-five PWE (37.9%) scored low, 170 PWE (51.5%) scored medium, and 35 PWE (10.6%) scored high. The education level and household income were highly correlated with the knowledge level. Higher education level (r: 0.31) and high income (r: 0.25) were correlated with higher mean scores (p < 0.01). Lack of information was present particularly in terms of etiology, management of seizures, and medication during pregnancy.


CONCLUSION
We documented the knowledge deficit of PWE about their disease, a situation that may lead to suboptimal management and negative attitudes. We concluded that study programs should be organized and more education should be provided to PWE in order to overcome these issues.
['Atakli|Dilek|D|', 'Dogan Ak|Pelin|P|', 'Guveli|Betul Tekin|BT|', 'Yuksel|Burcu|B|']
D000328:Adult D000927:Anticonvulsants D004827:Epilepsy D005260:Female D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice D006801:Humans D008297:Male D055118:Medication Adherence D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care D012640:Seizures D013240:Stereotyping D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires D014421:Turkey
Stigmatization Knowledge of epilepsy among patients