Community knowledge and attitudes of epilepsy in rural and urban Mukono district, Uganda; a cross sectional study

Introduction— Lack of adequate knowledge poses a barrier in the provision of appropriate treatment and care of epileptic patients within the community. The purpose of this study was to determine the knowledge and attitude of community dwellers to epilepsy and respondents did not know the cause of epilepsy, while 29% cited genetic causes. About seventeen percent of the subjects believed that epilepsy is contagious. Only 5.6% (21/377) of respondents would take a patient with epilepsy to hospital for treatment. Conclusion— Adults in Mukono are very acquainted with epilepsy but have many erroneous beliefs about the condition. Negative attitudes are pervasive within communities in Uganda. The National Epilepsy awareness programs need to clarify the purported modes of transmission of epilepsy, available treatment options and care offered during epileptic seizures during community sensitizations in our settings.

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