Knowledge about epilepsy among teachers and epileptic patients

Tosetti, Maria F. Valls; Campos, Miriam A.; Bauer, Claudia R.; Araujo, Márcia M.; Pedrazolli, Sibelle; Silva, Yara B.; Montovani, Cristina; Haddad, Monica S.; Poetcher, A.; Cukiert, A.; Marino Jr., R.

doi:10.1590/S0004-282X1991000300004

Abstracts

223 epileptics patients and their families and 136 teachers from public and private schools were submitted to similar questionnaires related to inheritance, transmission, cure, complilcation rates, care during seizures, need for information on the disease, habits, comparison with other diseases and to the educational and social performances of epileptics. Cure and complication nates accounted for the main differences between those populations. Epileptics could recognize a bigger number of complications but still expected to be cured from the disease. The majority of teachers and patients have never been informed about epilepsy and this finding was related to the big number of equivocal answers obtained from them. Put together, the data showed that social and educational performance of epileptic patients could be disturbed by medical and social parameters. Some, of them could be improved by an educational program towards these aspects of epilepsy.

223 pacientes epilépticos e suas famílias e 136 professores da rede pública e privada foram submetidos a questionários similares que incluíam questões relacionadas à hereditariedade, transmissibilidade, cura, complicações, cuidados durante as crises, necessidade de informações acerca da doença, hábitos, comparações com outras doenças e performances sociais e educacionais de epilépticos. Taxas presumidas de cura e complicações representaram a maior diferença entre as duas populações. Epilépticos reconhecem um maior número de complicações mas persistem acreditando na cura de sua moléstia. A maioria dos professores e pacientes jamais havia recebido qualquer informação sobre epilepsia e isto possivelmente relaciona-se às respostas equívocas que foram obtidas. Em suma, os dados sugerem que as performances sociais e educacionais de pacientes epilépticos podem ser modificadas por parâmetros médicos e sociais, alguns dos quais podem ser melhorados através de um programa educacional direcionado aos aspectos sociais das epilepsias.

CONTENTS CONTEÚDO

Knowledge about epilepsy among teachers and epileptic patients

Conhecimentos acerca de epilepsia entre professores e entre pacientes epilépticos.

Maria F. Valls Tosetti^I; Miriam A. Campos^I; Claudia R. Bauer^I; Márcia M. Araujo^I; Sibelle Pedrazolli^I; Yara B. Silva^I; Cristina Montovani^I; Monica S. Haddad^III; A. Poetcher^II; A. Cukiert^IV; R. Marino Jr.^V

^INursing Student, Nursing School, USP - Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine (FM), University of São Paulo (USP)

^IIMedical Student, FMUSP - Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine (FM), University of São Paulo (USP)

^IIIMedical Resident, Division of Neurology, Hospital das Clinicas (HC), FMUSP - Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine (FM), University of São Paulo (USP)

^IVMedical Resident, Division of Neurosurgery, HC, FMUSP- Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine (FM), University of São Paulo (USP)

^VFull Professor of Neurosurgery, FMUSP - Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine (FM), University of São Paulo (USP)

SUMMARY

223 epileptics patients and their families and 136 teachers from public and private schools were submitted to similar questionnaires related to inheritance, transmission, cure, complilcation rates, care during seizures, need for information on the disease, habits, comparison with other diseases and to the educational and social performances of epileptics. Cure and complication nates accounted for the main differences between those populations. Epileptics could recognize a bigger number of complications but still expected to be cured from the disease. The majority of teachers and patients have never been informed about epilepsy and this finding was related to the big number of equivocal answers obtained from them. Put together, the data showed that social and educational performance of epileptic patients could be disturbed by medical and social parameters. Some, of them could be improved by an educational program towards these aspects of epilepsy.

RESUMO

223 pacientes epilépticos e suas famílias e 136 professores da rede pública e privada foram submetidos a questionários similares que incluíam questões relacionadas à hereditariedade, transmissibilidade, cura, complicações, cuidados durante as crises, necessidade de informações acerca da doença, hábitos, comparações com outras doenças e performances sociais e educacionais de epilépticos. Taxas presumidas de cura e complicações representaram a maior diferença entre as duas populações. Epilépticos reconhecem um maior número de complicações mas persistem acreditando na cura de sua moléstia. A maioria dos professores e pacientes jamais havia recebido qualquer informação sobre epilepsia e isto possivelmente relaciona-se às respostas equívocas que foram obtidas. Em suma, os dados sugerem que as performances sociais e educacionais de pacientes epilépticos podem ser modificadas por parâmetros médicos e sociais, alguns dos quais podem ser melhorados através de um programa educacional direcionado aos aspectos sociais das epilepsias.

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Full text available only in PDF format.

Dr. Arthur Cukiert - Serviço de Neurocirurgia Hospital das Clínicas FMUSP - Caixa Postal 3461 - 01060 São Paulo SP - Brasil.

1. Almeida N Filho. Epidemiologia social das epilepsias no Brasil. In Sena PG (ed) : Novas Achegas sobre a Epilepsia. Salvador: Centro Editorial e Didático da Universidade Federal da Bahia, 1980, p 57-78.
2. Beran RG, Flanagan PS. Psychosocial sequelae of epilepsy: the role of associated cerebral pathology. Epilepsia 1987, 28:107.
3. Corbidge P. Teacher training-attitudes towards epilepsy. In Oxley J, Stores G (eds) : Epilepsy and Education. London: Medical Tribune Group, 1987, 31-34.
4. Craig AG, Oxley J, Dowds C. Children and Young People with Epilepsy: an Educational Package for Teachers. Chalfont St Peter: National Society for Epilepsy, 1985.
5. Dodrill CB. Correlates of generalized tonicclonic seizures with intellectual, neuropsychological, emotional and social functioning. Epilepsia 1986, 27: 399.
6. Marno R Jr, Cukiert A, Pinho E. Epidemiological aspects of epilepsy in São Paulo, Brazil: a prevalence rate study. In Wolf P, Dam M, Janz D, Dreifuss FE (eds) : Advances in Epileptology, Vol 16. New York: Raven Press, 1987, p 759-764.
7. Saraiva MCS. As implicações sociais em ser epiléptico. In Marino R Jr (ed): Epilepsias. São Paulo: Sarvier, 1983, p 77-82.
8. Thompson PJ, Oxley JR. Socioeconomic accompaniments of severe epilepsy. Epilepsia 1988, 29-39.
9. Virmani V, Kaul V, Juneza J. Socioeconomic implications of epilepsy in India. In Penry JK (ed): Epilepsy 8th International Symposium. New York: Raven Press, 1977, 385-392.

Publication Dates

Publication in this collection
22 Feb 2011
Date of issue
Sept 1991

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

[1] 1. Almeida N Filho. Epidemiologia social das epilepsias no Brasil. In Sena PG (ed) : Novas Achegas sobre a Epilepsia. Salvador: Centro Editorial e Didático da Universidade Federal da Bahia, 1980, p 57-78.

[2] 2. Beran RG, Flanagan PS. Psychosocial sequelae of epilepsy: the role of associated cerebral pathology. Epilepsia 1987, 28:107.

[3] 3. Corbidge P. Teacher training-attitudes towards epilepsy. In Oxley J, Stores G (eds) : Epilepsy and Education. London: Medical Tribune Group, 1987, 31-34.

[4] 4. Craig AG, Oxley J, Dowds C. Children and Young People with Epilepsy: an Educational Package for Teachers. Chalfont St Peter: National Society for Epilepsy, 1985.

[5] 5. Dodrill CB. Correlates of generalized tonicclonic seizures with intellectual, neuropsychological, emotional and social functioning. Epilepsia 1986, 27: 399.

[6] 6. Marno R Jr, Cukiert A, Pinho E. Epidemiological aspects of epilepsy in São Paulo, Brazil: a prevalence rate study. In Wolf P, Dam M, Janz D, Dreifuss FE (eds) : Advances in Epileptology, Vol 16. New York: Raven Press, 1987, p 759-764.

[7] 7. Saraiva MCS. As implicações sociais em ser epiléptico. In Marino R Jr (ed): Epilepsias. São Paulo: Sarvier, 1983, p 77-82.

[8] 8. Thompson PJ, Oxley JR. Socioeconomic accompaniments of severe epilepsy. Epilepsia 1988, 29-39.

[9] 9. Virmani V, Kaul V, Juneza J. Socioeconomic implications of epilepsy in India. In Penry JK (ed): Epilepsy 8th International Symposium. New York: Raven Press, 1977, 385-392.