Epilepsy awareness among Rabigh Province residents in Saudi Arabia: A cross-sectional survey study

Majed M. Al-Hayani; Sumayyah A. Kobeisy; Khalid S. Allebdi; Sarah H. Al Hajari; Walaa S. Alluhibi; Naseem Y. Al-Yahyawi; Mazen Basheikh; Reem A. Alyoubi

doi:10.17712/nsj.2022.4.20220045

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Figure 1
- Epilepsy awareness score distribution among participants

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Table 1

- Demographics.

Characteristics	n (%)^*
Gender
Male	271/511 (53)
Female	240/511 (47)
Age
Mean±SD	32.76±10.813
Minimum–Maximum	18-60
Age Group
18-29	233/511 (45.6)
30-55	263/511 (51.5)
>55	15/511 (2.9)
Marital Status
Married	311/511 (60.9)
Single	200/511 (39.1)
Do you have children?
Yes	277/507 (54.6)
No	230/507 (45.4)
Educational Level
Elementary School	1/511 (0.2)
Middle School	13/511 (2.5)
High School Diploma	151/511 (29.5)
Diploma	44/511 (8.6)
Bachelor’s Degree	292/511 (57.1)
Master’s Degree	8/511 (1.6)
Doctoral Degree	2/511 (0.4)
Monthly income
<5,000 SR	227/511 (44.4)
5,000-10,000 SR	147/511 (28.8)
>10,000 SR	137/511 (26.8)
Occupation
Physician	14/511 (2.8)
KAU^a Rabigh Medical Student	81/511 (16.1)
KAU^a Rabigh Student	55/511 (10.9)
High school teacher	24/511 (4.8)
Middle school teacher	11/511 (2.2)
Elementary school teacher	13/511 (2.6)
Freelance	32/511 (6.3)
Unemployed	113/511 (22.4)
Other	161/511 (31.9)

↵* Percentages may not equal 100% due to rounding, aKing Abdulaziz University

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Table 2

- Participants’ background on epilepsy.

Have you ever read about epilepsy or “convulsive seizures” (fits)?	n (%)
Yes	463/511 (90.6)
No	48/511 (9.4)
Do you know anyone who has epilepsy?
Yes	0/511 (0)
No	455/511 (89)
I don’t know	56/511 (11)
Have you ever seen anyone having an active seizure?
Yes	286/511 (56)
No	202/511 (39.5)
I don’t know	23/511 (4.5)
Do you know what to do if someone is having a seizure in front of you?
Yes	171/511 (33.5)
No	266/511 (52.1)
I don’t know	74/511 (14.5)
Have you ever received first aid training regarding the management of epilepsy?
Yes	116/511 (22.7)
No	395/511 (77.3)

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Table 3

- Participants’ knowledge about epilepsy and first aid of epilepsy.

Questions (n)	Correct answer	Correct answer n (%)	Incorrect answer n (%)	Don’t know n (%)
1.If someone is seizing, should you: (511)
-Promptly move them away from danger?	Yes	446 (87.3)	18 (3.5)	47 (9.2)
-Put a spoon or cloth in their mouth?	No	146 (28.6)	206 (40.3)	159 (31.1)
-Force their medication in their mouth?	No	312 (61.1)	26 (5.1)	173 (33.9)
-Splash water on them?	No	165 (32.3)	224 (43.8)	122 (23.9)
-Hold/ fix them so they can’t move?	No	101 (19.8)	320 (62.6)	90 (17.6)
2.Do you think epilepsy affects: (506)
-all ages?	Yes	406 (79.5)	20 (3.9)	80 (15.7)
-sexual ability?	Yes	95 (18.6)	118 (23.1)	293 (57.3)
-pregnancy?	Yes	156 (30.5)	99 (19.4)	251 (49.1)
-lifespan?	No	62 (12.1)	218 (42.7)	226 (44.2)
3. An Epilepsy attack is: (506)
-convulsion or shaking	Yes	436 (85.3)	12 (2.3)	58 (11.4)
-loss of consciousness	Yes	383 (75)	66 (12.9)	57 (11.2)
-transient change of behavior	Yes	209 (40.9)	142 (27.8)	155 (30.3)
-period of amnesia	Yes	194 (38)	129 (25.2)	183 (35.8)
-blank staring	Yes	235 (46)	103(20.2)	168 (32.9)
-headache	No	122 (23.9)	190 (37.2)	194 (38)
-hallucination	No	159(31.1)	143 (28)	204 (39.9)
4. Epilepsy is a form of insanity (506)	No	413 (80.8)	27 (5.3)	66 (12.9)
5.What do you think is the cause of epilepsy? (506)
-Hereditary/ Genetic disease	Yes	307 (60.7)	69 (13.6)	130 (25.7)
-Infectious/ Contagious disease	No	429 (84.8)	6 (1.2)	71 (14.0)
-Brain disorder or injury	Yes	391 (77.3)	17 (3.4)	98 (19.4)
-Birth defect	No	151 (29.8)	181 (35.8)	174 (34.4)
-Mental or emotional disorder	No	154 (30.4)	164 (32.4)	188 (37.2)
-Blood disorder	No	304 (60.1)	24 (4.7)	178 (35.2)
-Devil Spirit	No	273 (54.0)	98 (19.4)	135 (26.7)
-Witchcraft	No	272 (53.8)	92 (18.2)	142 (28.1)
-Evil Eye	No	234 (46.2)	136 (26.9)	136 (26.9)
-Punishment from God	No	287 (56.7)	25 (4.9)	194 (38.3)
6.If your relatives have epilepsy, what would you suggest for them to do? (506)
-Ask for medical advice	Yes	484 (95.7)	3 (0.6)	19 (3.8)
-Ask for herbal treatment	No	296 (58.5)	126 (24.9)	84 (16.6)
-Get medication from a drugstore	No	273 (54.0)	174 (34.4)	59 (11.7)
-Go to a spiritual healer	No	384 (75.9)	54 (10.7)	68 (13.4)
-Tell them epilepsy is not treatable	No	322 (63.6)	46 (9.1)	138 (27.3)
-Tell them there is no need for treatment	No	426 (84.2)	15 (3.0)	65 (12.8)
-Treat them with religious supplications	No	89 (17.6)	333 (65.8)	84 (16.6)
-tell them to try wet cupping	No	194 (38.3)	155 (30.6)	157 (31.0)
-tell them to try traditional cauterization	No	279 (55.1)	73 (14.4)	154 (30.4)
-tell them to try camel extracts	No	288 (56.9)	37 (7.3)	181 (35.8)
7. Is there a role for surgical intervention for advanced epilepsy? (506)
	Yes	165 (32.6)	66 (13.0)	275 (54.3)
8.Should people with epilepsy be
-employed like other people without epilepsy? (501)	Yes	309 (61.7)	102 (20.4)	90 (18.0)
-isolated from society?	No	481 (96.0)	6 (1.2)	14 (2.8)
9. Can people with epilepsy be active members of society? (501)	Yes	467 (93.2)	15 (3.0)	19 (3.8)
10. Are the mental abilities of those epilepsy the same as those without epilepsy? (501)	Yes	469 (93.6)	12 (2.4)	20 (4.0)
11. Can a child with epilepsy be successful in a normal class? (501)
	Yes	444 (88.6)	10 (2.0)	47 (9.4)
12. Can a patient with controlled epilepsy drive a car? (501)	Yes	185 (36.9)	185 (36.9)	131 (26.1)
13. Are epilepsy patients stigmatized in society?(501)	Yes	73 (14.6)	188 (37.5)	240 (47.9)

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Table 4

- Participants’ attitude toward epilepsy.

Statements	n (%)
Would you befriend someone with epilepsy?
Yes	424/501 (84.6)
No	18/501 (3.6)
I don’t know	59/501 (11.8)
Would you object to having any of your children associated with a person who has seizures at school?
Yes	52/501 (10.4)
No	376/201 (75)
I don’t know	73/501 (14.6)
Would you object to having your children play with a child who has seizures?
Yes	48/501 (9.6)
No	389/501 (77.6)
I don’t know	64/501 (12.8)
Would you object to your children marrying someone who has seizures?
Yes	137/501 (27.3)
No	196/501 (39.1)
I don’t know	168/501 (33.5)
Would you lie about having a family member with epilepsy?
Yes	10/501 (2)
No	467/501 (93.2)
I don’t know	24/501 (4.8)

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Table 5

- Significance of epilepsy awareness score (EAS) with participants’ demographics and epilepsy background.

Category	Mean score out of 45±SD	P-value
Gender		0.064
Male	17.27±6.4
Female	18.24±5.3
Age Group		0.000^*
18-29	18.34±6.3
30-55	17.08±5.6
>55	19.40±4.1
Marital Status		0.472
Single	17.57±5.8
Married	17.96±6.2
Do you have Children?		0.038^*
Yes	17.36±5.6
No	18.43±6.0
Educational Level		0.065
Elementary School	17.00
Middle School	16.15±6.0
High School Diploma	16.62±5.7
Diploma	17.00±5.0
Bachelor’s Degree	18.48±6.1
Master’s Degree	16.38±8.2
Doctoral Degree	23.00±2.8
Monthly income		0.003^*
<5,000 Saudi Riyal	17.14±5.9
5,000-10,000 Saudi Riyal	17.80±6.4
>10,000 Saudi Riyal	18.62±5.4
Occupation		0.015^*
Physician	25.50±2.6
KAUa Rabigh Medical Student	20.96±4.8
KAUa Rabigh Student	15.96±6.4
High school teacher	17.67±4.7
Middle school teacher	14.82±4.9
Elementary school teacher	18.54±6.2
Freelance	15.69±6.4
Unemployed	17.83±5.1
Other	16.92±5.7
Have you ever read about epilepsy or “convulsive seizures” (fits)?		0.002^*
Yes	18.10±5.7
No	14.08±7.0
Do you know anyone who has epilepsy?		0.000^*
Yes	0±0
No	18.12±5.8
I don’t know	14.54±6.5
Have you ever seen anyone having an active seizure?		0.000^*
Yes	18.78±5.5
No	16.61±6.3
I don’t know	14.39±5.6
Do you know what to do if someone is having a seizure in front of you?		0.000^*
Yes	21.05±4.7
No	16.00±5.9
I don’t know	16.23±5.7
Have you ever received first aid training regarding the management of epilepsy?		0.000^*
Yes	21.09±5.0
No	16.73±5.9