Knowledge about Epilepsy and Attitudes toward Students with Epilepsy among Middle and High School Teachers in Kuwait
Background and Objectives. Attitudes toward students with epilepsy and epilepsy-related knowledge of teachers are crucial for child’s safety in the school. The aim of this study was to evaluate teachers’ knowledge and attitudes toward epilepsy. Methods. This cross-sectional study included 824 teache...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2016-01-01
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| Series: | International Journal of Pediatrics |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2016/5138952 |
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| author | Eman Al-Hashemi Abdullatif Ashkanani Haneen Al-Qattan Asmaa Mahmoud Majd Al-Kabbani Abdulaziz Al-Juhaidli Ahmad Jaafar Zahraa Al-Hashemi |
| author_facet | Eman Al-Hashemi Abdullatif Ashkanani Haneen Al-Qattan Asmaa Mahmoud Majd Al-Kabbani Abdulaziz Al-Juhaidli Ahmad Jaafar Zahraa Al-Hashemi |
| author_sort | Eman Al-Hashemi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background and Objectives. Attitudes toward students with epilepsy and epilepsy-related knowledge of teachers are crucial for child’s safety in the school. The aim of this study was to evaluate teachers’ knowledge and attitudes toward epilepsy. Methods. This cross-sectional study included 824 teachers from 24 randomly selected middle and high schools. Scale of Attitudes Toward Persons with Epilepsy (ATPE) was modified to assess teachers’ knowledge about epilepsy and attitudes toward students with epilepsy. Results. Median knowledge score about epilepsy was 5 (out of 13), while median attitude score was 10 (out of 15). Both knowledge and attitude median scores were significantly higher in senior teachers with longer teaching experience and in respondents who dealt with a person with epilepsy. There was significant association between knowledge score and attitude score (p<0.01). Logistic regression showed that significant variables, independently associated with poor knowledge after adjusting for possible confounders, were not having a family member with epilepsy (p=0.009), unawareness of life circumstances of persons with epilepsy (p=0.048), and a poor attitude score (p<0.001). Conclusion. School teachers in Kuwait have relatively poor knowledge about epilepsy but have positive attitudes toward students with epilepsy. A number of historical and stigmatizing ideas about epilepsy still exist. It is recommended to provide teachers with information about handling seizures in the educational setting through development and implementation of epilepsy education programs. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-9b050bfb22a14109ad850a6a739d8574 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1687-9740 1687-9759 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2016-01-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | International Journal of Pediatrics |
| spelling | doaj-art-9b050bfb22a14109ad850a6a739d85742025-02-03T01:23:47ZengWileyInternational Journal of Pediatrics1687-97401687-97592016-01-01201610.1155/2016/51389525138952Knowledge about Epilepsy and Attitudes toward Students with Epilepsy among Middle and High School Teachers in KuwaitEman Al-Hashemi0Abdullatif Ashkanani1Haneen Al-Qattan2Asmaa Mahmoud3Majd Al-Kabbani4Abdulaziz Al-Juhaidli5Ahmad Jaafar6Zahraa Al-Hashemi7Department of Medicine, Mubarak Al-Kabeer Hospital, Jabriya, 43787 Kuwait City, KuwaitDepartment of Surgery, Mubarak Al-Kabeer Hospital, Jabriya, 43787 Kuwait City, KuwaitDepartment of Surgery, Mubarak Al-Kabeer Hospital, Jabriya, 43787 Kuwait City, KuwaitDepartment of Medicine, Mubarak Al-Kabeer Hospital, Jabriya, 43787 Kuwait City, KuwaitDepartment of Medicine, Mubarak Al-Kabeer Hospital, Jabriya, 43787 Kuwait City, KuwaitDepartment of Medicine, Farwaniya Hospital, Sabah Al-Nasser, 81004 Kuwait City, KuwaitDepartment of Pediatrics, Mubarak Al-Kabeer Hospital, Jabriya, 43787 Kuwait City, KuwaitFaculty of Medicine, Kuwait University, Jabriya, 43787 Kuwait City, KuwaitBackground and Objectives. Attitudes toward students with epilepsy and epilepsy-related knowledge of teachers are crucial for child’s safety in the school. The aim of this study was to evaluate teachers’ knowledge and attitudes toward epilepsy. Methods. This cross-sectional study included 824 teachers from 24 randomly selected middle and high schools. Scale of Attitudes Toward Persons with Epilepsy (ATPE) was modified to assess teachers’ knowledge about epilepsy and attitudes toward students with epilepsy. Results. Median knowledge score about epilepsy was 5 (out of 13), while median attitude score was 10 (out of 15). Both knowledge and attitude median scores were significantly higher in senior teachers with longer teaching experience and in respondents who dealt with a person with epilepsy. There was significant association between knowledge score and attitude score (p<0.01). Logistic regression showed that significant variables, independently associated with poor knowledge after adjusting for possible confounders, were not having a family member with epilepsy (p=0.009), unawareness of life circumstances of persons with epilepsy (p=0.048), and a poor attitude score (p<0.001). Conclusion. School teachers in Kuwait have relatively poor knowledge about epilepsy but have positive attitudes toward students with epilepsy. A number of historical and stigmatizing ideas about epilepsy still exist. It is recommended to provide teachers with information about handling seizures in the educational setting through development and implementation of epilepsy education programs.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2016/5138952 |
| spellingShingle | Eman Al-Hashemi Abdullatif Ashkanani Haneen Al-Qattan Asmaa Mahmoud Majd Al-Kabbani Abdulaziz Al-Juhaidli Ahmad Jaafar Zahraa Al-Hashemi Knowledge about Epilepsy and Attitudes toward Students with Epilepsy among Middle and High School Teachers in Kuwait International Journal of Pediatrics |
| title | Knowledge about Epilepsy and Attitudes toward Students with Epilepsy among Middle and High School Teachers in Kuwait |
| title_full | Knowledge about Epilepsy and Attitudes toward Students with Epilepsy among Middle and High School Teachers in Kuwait |
| title_fullStr | Knowledge about Epilepsy and Attitudes toward Students with Epilepsy among Middle and High School Teachers in Kuwait |
| title_full_unstemmed | Knowledge about Epilepsy and Attitudes toward Students with Epilepsy among Middle and High School Teachers in Kuwait |
| title_short | Knowledge about Epilepsy and Attitudes toward Students with Epilepsy among Middle and High School Teachers in Kuwait |
| title_sort | knowledge about epilepsy and attitudes toward students with epilepsy among middle and high school teachers in kuwait |
| url | http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2016/5138952 |
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