Awareness of neurocysticercosis: A study from northwest India

BACKGROUND: Neurocysticercosis (NCC) is a common cause of epilepsy in developing countries. In order to plan and implement prevention programs, it is essential to study the awareness of NCC. OBJECTIVE: To study the awareness of NCC among patients with NCC and compare with age- and gender-matched controls without NCC. SETTING AND DESIGN: Hospital based case–control study. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Two hundred and fourteen subjects were studied (109 NCC patients, and 105 age- and gender-matched controls without NCC). The participants were selected from neurology and medical wards of a tertiary referral hospital in northwest India. They were interviewed by trained medical interns using a questionnaire. RESULTS: 64.2% of the NCC patients and 19% of control group had heard about NCC (P < 0.001). Knowledge regarding organ affected by NCC in the NCC group was 61.4% and in the control group was 80% (P = 0.09). Only 12.9% of the NCC group and none in the control group identified tape worm as a causative agent for NCC (P = 0.092). Negative effects of NCC on marriage and social life were more often cited by the NCC group but in the control group it was towards education (P = 0.004). CONCLUSIONS: The awareness of NCC was poor in both the groups. Educational programs are needed to improve the awareness about NCC among the patients and the public.