Parental Knoweldge, Attitude, and Perception about Epilepsy and Sociocultural Barriers to Treatment

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The present study focused on assessing parental knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions about epilepsy as well as addressing the socio-cultural barriers to its treatment. METHODS: Data were collected from out-patient consultations in the neurology department of a tertiary referral center in South India. Parents of sixty children suffering from epilepsy in the age-group of 4–15 years were interviewed to explore their knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions about epilepsy. They were recruited in 2015 over a consecutive period of six months. The tools administered were: socio-demographic schedule; clinical profile; a knowledge, attitude, and perception questionnaire prepared by the researcher; and a few case studies with psychosocial interventions. RESULTS: The mean age of the parents who brought their children to the hospital was 37.2 years, with 71.7% being male, of which, 36% were educated up to secondary/intermediate level and were of lower socio-economic status. The mean age of the children with epilepsy was 8.4 years with 66.7% of them being male. Among them, 50% had the most commonly occurring generalized seizures and 26.7% had the co-morbid condition of cerebral palsy. Around 37.7% parents attributed the seizures to evil spirits or supernatural powers, 52.5% to mental illness, and 72.1% were influenced by their families to initially seek religio-spiritual or traditional treatment in desperation for a cure of the illness. In total, 91.8% of the parents visited holy places, made “mannats”, or prayed in worship for hours for their child’s recovery. CONCLUSIONS: Creating awareness about epilepsy is important to address the socio-cultural barriers to its treatment and improve help-seeking behavior.