Results of some studies examining the knowledge and attitudes of individuals in the community about epilepsy

Authors and yearCountrySampleResults/Responses
Maiga et al. [16], 2014MaliCommunity

  • Epilepsy is contagious: 66%

  • Epilepsy is caused by a supernatural power: 53%

  • The first option for treatment is traditional healers: 63%

Owolabi et al. [30], 2014NigeriaTeachers

  • The rate of those who would not want a child with epilepsy to be in their classroom: 25.5%

  • Children with epilepsy should be in separate classes: 60%

Homi Bhesania et al. [13], 2014PakistanTeachers

  • Epilepsy is contagious: 14.5%

  • Epilepsy causes mental retardation: 34.5%

  • Epilepsy is caused by a supernatural power: 10.9%

Abulhamail et al. [31], 2014Saudi ArabiaTeachers

  • Children with epilepsy may show abnormal behavior in the classroom: 47%

  • Children with epilepsy should be educated in separate classes: 28%

  • The intelligence level of children with epilepsy is lower than others: 25%

Shehata and Mahran [32], 2014Egypt

Families with and

without PwE

The answers belong to families of individuals with and without epilepsy, respectively:

  • Individuals with epilepsy should not marry: 21.9% vs. 4.1%

  • The rate of those who would not allow their child to marry someone with epilepsy: 90% vs. 75%

  • The rate of those who would not want to work in the same place as someone with epilepsy: 73% vs. 75%

Ezeala-Adikaibe et al. [33], 2014NigeriaCommunity

  • Individuals with epilepsy should not marry: 28.5%

  • Should not have children: 42.8%

  • The rate of those who wouldn't marry someone with epilepsy: 80.3%

Eze et al. [34], 2015NigeriaTeachers

  • Students with epilepsy cause some problems in the classroom: 86.3%

  • Children with epilepsy should be sent to private schools: 41.2%

  • The rate of those who would not want their own child to be in the same class as a child with epilepsy: 51.3%

Al-Hashemi et al. [14], 2016KuwaitTeachers

  • Mental retardation develops in epilepsy patients: 15%

  • Epilepsy is contagious: 18%

  • Children with epilepsy should be educated in different classes: 52%

  • Individuals with epilepsy do not have equal employment rights like other people: 25%

Karimi and Akbarian [17], 2016IranFamily members of PwE

  • Epilepsy is caused by supernatural powers: 8.1%

  • Individuals with epilepsy should not marry: 15.3%

  • Individuals with epilepsy have lower intelligence: 25%

Gebrewold et al. [35], 2016EthiopiaTeachers

  • The rate of those who would not prefer to have a child with epilepsy in their class: 81%

  • The rate of those who would not let their child play with someone with epilepsy: 80%

  • The rate of those who would not allow their child to marry someone with epilepsy: 92.5%

Masri et al. [18], 2017JordanParents with PwE

  • Epilepsy is a mental illness: 10%

  • The rate of those who would not allow their child to participate in sports activities: 59%

Kaddumukasa et al. [36], 2018UgandaCommunity

  • Epilepsy is an infectious disease: 17%

  • The rate of those who would not let their child play with a child with epilepsy: 19.1%

  • The rate of those who would not allow a close relative to marry someone with epilepsy: 41.6%

Al-Dossari et al. [19], 2018Saudi ArabiaCommunity

  • Cause of epilepsy possession by demons or an evil spirit: 46.5%

  • Epilepsy is an infectious disease: 11.2%

  • Women with epilepsy should not marry: 13.7%

Kiwanuka and Anyango Olyet [37], 2018UgandaCommunity

  • The rate of those who would not allow their close relatives to marry someone with epilepsy: 13.4%

  • Individuals with epilepsy should not have children: 18.4%

  • The rate of those who would prefer traditional medicine or healers for the treatment of epilepsy: 52.1%

Panagariya et al. [38], 2019IndiaCommunity

  • Epilepsy is non-curable: 15%

  • Would not marry persons with epilepsy: 81%

Ibinga et al. [20], 2019GabonTeachers and health workers

  • Epilepsy is an infectious disease: 27.5%

  • Domenic possession is the cause of epilepsy: 16%

  • The rate of those who stated that they would not send their child to school if they had epilepsy: 15%

Rani and Thomas [21], 2019IndiaParents with PwE

  • Epilepsy is a mental disease: 52.5%

  • It is an infectious disease: 18%

  • Developed due to evil spirits: 37.7%

  • The rate of people who believe that an object should be placed in the mouth while having a seizure: 88.5%

Fekadu et al. [22], 2019EthiopiaCommunity

  • Epilepsy is caused by evil spirits: 49.8%

  • The rate of those who would not want to hire someone with epilepsy: 94.2%

  • The rate of those who would not allow a member of their family to marry someone with epilepsy: 93.3%

Alamri and Al Thobaity [39], 2020Saudi ArabiaTeachers

  • Epilepsy is a mental disease: 59%

  • The rate of those who would not allow their child to marry someone with epilepsy: 64%

Qiu et al. [40], 2020ChinaPreschool staff

  • The rate of those who would not let their child play with someone with epilepsy: 36.3%

  • The rate of those who believed that the activities of children with epilepsy should be limited: 41%

  • The rate of those who do not prefer having children with epilepsy in their classroom: 70%

Wubetu et al. [41], 2020EthiopiaCommunity

  • Individuals with epilepsy should be isolated: 12%

  • Individuals with epilepsy should not go to school: 75%

  • The rate of those who would not want to hire someone with epilepsy: 57%

Tani and Adali [23], 2020MoroccoCommunity

  • Epilepsy is a dangerous disease: 32.2%

  • Epilepsy develops as a result of possession: 15.4%

  • It is a psychiatric disease: 12.1%

Tirukelem et al. [24], 2021EthiopiaCommunity

  • Epilepsy is god’s punishment: 16.9%

  • Spirit possession is the cause of epilepsy: 45.8%

Shihata et al. [42], 2021Saudi ArabiaMedical students

  • Epilepsy is a mental disease: 43.5%

  • The rate of those who wouldn’t marry someone with epilepsy: 45%

Hakami et al. [43], 2021Saudi ArabiaUniversity students

  • Epilepsy is a mental disease: 20%

  • Epilepsy can be treated with traditional healers: 46%

  • Children with epilepsy should go to private schools: 16.5%

  • The rate of those who wouldn't marry someone with epilepsy: 78%

Molla et al. [15], 2021EthiopiaCommunity

  • Epilepsy is the punishment for sins: 37.4%

  • The rate of those who would not want to employ PwE: 36.6%

  • The rate of those who wouldn't marry someone with epilepsy: 78.8%

Yeni et al. [44], 2021TurkiyeMedical students

  • The rate of people who believe that epilepsy should be hidden: 20%

  • The rate of those would not allow their child to marry PwE: 26%

  • The rate of those who wouldn't marry someone with epilepsy: 37%

Bin Abdulrahman et al. [45], 2022Saudi ArabiaMedical students

  • Epilepsy cannot be treated: 34%

  • The rate of those who would not let their child play with PwE: 27.7%

  • The rate of those who would not allow their child to marry someone with epilepsy: 23.8%

  • The rate of people who believe that people with epilepsy should not work: 11.7%

Legesse et al. [46], 2022EthiopiaCommunity

  • Epilepsy is caused by supernatural power: 58.6%

  • Epilepsy is a type of mental retardation: 59.6%

Ibrahim et al. [47], 2022SudanMedical students

  • Epilepsy is contagious: 1.7%

  • It is a mental illness: 56%

  • Cause of epilepsy is evil eye: 15.7%

  • Individuals with epilepsy should not have children: 20%

Alsulami et al. [48], 2022Saudi ArabiaTeachers

  • Epilepsy is a psychological disease: 10.6%

  • Children with epilepsy should be sent to private schools: 27.8%

  • The rate of those who would not let their child play with PwE: 19.7%

Mustafa et al. [49], 2022SudanMedical students

  • There are psychological factors underlying epilepsy: 62.7%

  • It is appropriate to use religious methods for treatment: 34.6%

  • Individuals with epilepsy should limit their sports or leisure activities: 42.1%

Abuhamdah et al. [50], 2022JordanCommunity

  • The rate of people who do not want to work in the same workplace with someone with epilepsy: 58.7%

  • Individuals with epilepsy should be isolated: 42%

  • The rate of people who want to keep their child away from someone with epilepsy: 41%

Almarwani et al. [51], 2023Saudi ArabiaTeachers

  • The rate of those who do not feel competent in seizure intervention: 72.8%

  • Children with epilepsy negatively affect other children in the class: 19%

Javed et al. [52], 2023PakistanCommunity

  • Epilepsy develops as a result of possession: 51.7%

  • Epilepsy is a mental disease: 60.5%

  • Epilepsy is contagious: 50.1%

PwE: patients with epilepsy