Knowledge of Epilepsy among Teachers in Khon Kaen Province, Thailand
Somsak Tiamkao MD*, Narong Aaauevitchayapat MD**, Suwanna Arunpongpaisal MD***, Aporanee Chaiyakum BCT****, Suthipun Jitpimolmard MD*, Warinthorn Phuttharak MD*****, Kutcharin Phunikhom MD******, Jiamjit Saengsuwan MD*******, Surin Saetang MD********, Siriporn Tiamkao MD******, Suda Vannaprasaht MD******
Affiliation : * Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine, ** Departments of Pediatric, ***Psychiatry, **** Faculty of Pharmaceutical Science, ***** Radiology, ****** Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, ******* Faculty of Nursing, Khon Kaen University, ******** Department of Medicine, Khon Kaen Hospital, Khon Kaen
Introduction: Epileptic patients face social stigmatization due to negative attitudes and incorrect knowledge
on epilepsy.
Objectives : To evaluate knowledge of epilepsy among teachers in Khon Kaen province.
Materials and Methods : A self-administered questionnaire distributed to 102 teachers who attended the train-
ing lectures on epilepsy. The number of correct responses for each item were collected. The statistical analysis
included the percentage of correct response and the means of the total scores.
Results : Most (78.4%) respondents understood that a seizure is an abnormal electrical discharge in the
brain, while 54.9% thought it included a form of abnormal movement and 1% demonic possession. The
generalized tonic-clonic seizure (GTCs) was the type of seizure with which most respondents were familiar
(90.2%), while 23.5% had knowledge of absence seizures. The respondents identified the following as causes
for epilepsy: 1) head injury (84%); 2) genetic disease (74.5%); 3) high fever (68%); and, 4) brain tumor
(57%). A small minority associated epilepsy with eating pork (11%) and even fewer (2%) with a non-organic/
non-physical cause. Only 16% of respondents thought epilepsy was incurable, and a quarter (27%) of the
teachers thought epileptics required anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs) life long, while 20 and 9 percent believed
patients would take AEDs for 3-6 months and only for episodes, respectively. About 57% of the teachers
thought epileptics needed AEDs for 2-5 years. Most (77-79%) respondents thought epileptics were prohibited
from using machinery or driving, and 63% thought alcohol would be prohibited. Almost two-thirds of the
teachers (64%) thought they should try to place an object between the teeth of a person having an episode in
order to prevent a biting injury to the tongue and 27% would restrain the person and perform chest compres-
sions (CPR). The average total score for correct answers on the questionnaire was about 60% (29.26/50).
Respondents generally understood that epilepsy is controllable (82%) and were able to identify a seizure
(78.4%). The lowest scores were found in the section on identifying the types of seizures (37.8%).
Conclusion : Teachers’ knowledge of epilepsy was incomplete; thus, an epilepsy education campaign is needed
and should emphasize the types of seizures, the causes of epilepsy, and management.
Keywords : Knowledge, Epilepsy, Teacher
