Knowledge about epilepsy among health professionals: a cross-sectional survey in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

To evaluate the epilepsy knowledge among health professionals in São Paulo, Brazil.

Design

This is a cross-sectional study.

Participants

Professionals with academic degrees in physical education (n=134), nutrition (n=116), medicine (n=100), psychology (n=53), nursing (n=122) and physiotherapy (n=99) who lived in São Paulo City, Brazil.

Primary and secondary outcome measures

Knowledge of health professionals about epilepsy.

Methods

Professionals with academic degrees in physical education (n=134), nutrition (n=116), medicine (n=100), psychology (n=53), nursing (n=122) and physiotherapy (n=99) who lived in São Paulo City, Brazil, were invited to participate in the study. The subjects (n=624) answered a questionnaire composed of 25 simple closed-ended questions from three areas: personal, educational and knowledge.

Results

Out of all subjects, 88.5% (n=552) had a postgraduate education, while 11.5% (n=72) had only an undergraduate degree. The authors found that physical educators, nutritionists and physiotherapists received lower scores on their epilepsy knowledge than other health professionals.

Conclusions

Health professionals are considered better-educated group inside the society, especially with regards to healthcare issues. Thus, it is important they also have an accurate and correct knowledge about epilepsy. The findings of the present study indicate an imperative improvement in education about epilepsy, as well as an inclusion of formal programmes for epilepsy education especially for non-medical professionals. An improvement in epilepsy education might contribute to an improvement in epilepsy care and management.

SUBMITTER: Vancini RL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3332239 | biostudies-literature | 2012

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature