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Abstract
Objective
With this study, we wanted to assess the knowledge, awareness and attitude towards epilepsy of the healthcare staff from one of the specialized hospitals in Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Method
A self-administered online questionnaire was sent to all the medical, nursing and paramedical staff of Medcare Women and Children Hospital in Dubai, United Arab Emirates which is one of the specialized hospitals in Dubai. The questionnaire had total seven sections including the demographic information of the responder.
Results
The data was collected electronically on secure computer. Out of total 120 requests, 88 responses were collected (73%). 69% were staff nurses and 6% were doctors including consultants and junior doctors. 97% of the responders claimed to have some knowledge of ‘epilepsy’ as the disease and some of them had seen or dealt with a patient with an epileptic seizure. However, majority felt that there was further need for more training in this area.
Conclusion
From our cohort, we found out that despite self-reported awareness and knowledge about epilepsy, there was still negative and inappropriate attitude towards this condition. So not only clinical knowledge, but there seems to be more need for correcting the attitudes and beliefs towards epilepsy even in the healthcare staff.
Keywords
Article Details
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References
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8. Lu B, Elliott JO. Beyond seizures and medications: normal activity limitations, social support, and mental health in epilepsy. Epilepsia. 2012 Feb;53(2):e25-8
9. Zielińska A, Kłos E, Talarska D. Youth’s knowledge and attitude to epilepsy. Roczniki Akademii Medycznej w Białymstoku· Vol. 2005;50:1
10. Al-Hashemi E, Ashkanani A, Al-Qattan H, Mahmoud A, Al-Kabbani M, Al-Juhaidli A, Jaafar A, Al-Hashemi Z. Knowledge about epilepsy and attitudes toward students with epilepsy among middle and high school teachers in Kuwait. International Journal of Pediatrics. 2016;2016.
11. Armitage CJ, Christian J. From attitudes to behaviour: Basic and applied research on the theory of planned behaviour. Current Psychology. 2003 Sep 1;22(3):187-95.)
12. Gifford A, Wilmshurst J, O’Callaghan F, Griffiths M, Dunkley C, Rodie P, Cross H, Kirkpatrick M. G277 (P) Worldwide short course education programmes in epilepsy for paediatricians–are they effective?.
13. Jones F, Passos-Neto CE, Braghiroli OF. Simulation in Medical Education: Brief history and methodology. Principles and Practice of Clinical Research. 2015 Sep 16(2).
14. Mundada V, Hildebrandt T. Self-reported changes in attitude, behaviour and clinical skills after attending Paediatric Simulation Training in a District General Hospital setting. Poster presented at: The 3rd International Paediatric Simulation Symposia and Workshop. 2010 Sep 29-30; Madrid
References
2. Jacoby A, Austin JK. Social stigma for adults and children with epilepsy. Epilepsia. 2007 Dec;48:6-9.
3. Temkin O. The Falling Sickness: A History of Epilepsy from the Greeks to the Beginnings of Modern Neurology. Baltimore: JHU Press; 1994
4. Gadgil P, Udani V. Pediatric epilepsy: the Indian experience. Journal of Pediatric Neurosciences. 2011 Oct;6(Suppl1):S126.
5. Jacoby A, Gorry J, Gamble C, Baker GA. Public knowledge, private grief: a study of public attitudes to epilepsy in the United Kingdom and implications for stigma. Epilepsia. 2004 Nov;45(11):1405-15.
6. Thapar AK, Stott NC, Richens A, Kerr M. Attitudes of GPs to the care of people with epilepsy. Family Practice. 1998 Oct 1;15(5):437-42.
7. Beran RG, McAulley R. Nurses’ knowledge, attitudes, preraration and skills for serving people with epilepsy and developmental disability. Australia and New Zealand Journal of Developmental Disabilities. 1992 Jan 1;18(1):9-16
8. Lu B, Elliott JO. Beyond seizures and medications: normal activity limitations, social support, and mental health in epilepsy. Epilepsia. 2012 Feb;53(2):e25-8
9. Zielińska A, Kłos E, Talarska D. Youth’s knowledge and attitude to epilepsy. Roczniki Akademii Medycznej w Białymstoku· Vol. 2005;50:1
10. Al-Hashemi E, Ashkanani A, Al-Qattan H, Mahmoud A, Al-Kabbani M, Al-Juhaidli A, Jaafar A, Al-Hashemi Z. Knowledge about epilepsy and attitudes toward students with epilepsy among middle and high school teachers in Kuwait. International Journal of Pediatrics. 2016;2016.
11. Armitage CJ, Christian J. From attitudes to behaviour: Basic and applied research on the theory of planned behaviour. Current Psychology. 2003 Sep 1;22(3):187-95.)
12. Gifford A, Wilmshurst J, O’Callaghan F, Griffiths M, Dunkley C, Rodie P, Cross H, Kirkpatrick M. G277 (P) Worldwide short course education programmes in epilepsy for paediatricians–are they effective?.
13. Jones F, Passos-Neto CE, Braghiroli OF. Simulation in Medical Education: Brief history and methodology. Principles and Practice of Clinical Research. 2015 Sep 16(2).
14. Mundada V, Hildebrandt T. Self-reported changes in attitude, behaviour and clinical skills after attending Paediatric Simulation Training in a District General Hospital setting. Poster presented at: The 3rd International Paediatric Simulation Symposia and Workshop. 2010 Sep 29-30; Madrid