Abstract
Purpose: To evaluate the attitudes toward epilepsy among parents of children with epilepsy (CWE) in China and identify some related factors for future interventions for parents to offer more social support for CWE.Method: The Chinese Public Attitudes Toward Epilepsy (CPATE) scale was administered to 234 parents of CWE and 203 parents of normal children in Xiangya hospital during 2019–2020.Results: The cumulative score of the parents of CWE (26.427 ± 6.688) was significantly lower than that of the normal children group (32.330 ± 7.234, p < 0.001). Subanalysis showed more positive attitudes among parents of CWE than the control group (p < 0.001) toward education (4.765 ± 1.985 vs. 6.621 ± 2.419), social life (6.556 ± 2.456 vs. 8.010 ± 2.683), marriage (9.586 ± 2.675 vs. 11.025 ± 2.900), and employment (3.876 ± 1.364 vs. 4.5123 ± 1.283). The attitudes toward epilepsy among parents of CWE with seizures in public (27.16 ± 6.66) or during sleep (27.10 ± 6.38) were more negative than those without (25.35 ± 6.62 and 25.08 ± 7.10, respectively) (p < 0.05). In addition, female and low income were negatively related to parents' attitudes toward epilepsy.Conclusions: More active policy guidance and adequate social support should be given to parents of children with seizures in public or during sleep to instruct their children to form a positive perception about epilepsy, which is expected to have a positive impact on their social abilities in the future.
Highlights
Epilepsy is a chronic neurological disorder characterized by unprovoked, recurrent seizures along with abnormal, excessive, or synchronous neuronal activity in the brain
Previous studies have shown that about 30% of children with epilepsy (CWE) still had seizures after antiepileptic drug (AED) therapy [2]
We found that AED categories were associated with attitudes toward epilepsy in both general (β = 0.196, p = 0.002) and personal (β = 0.156, p = 0.015) domains
Summary
Epilepsy is a chronic neurological disorder characterized by unprovoked, recurrent seizures along with abnormal, excessive, or synchronous neuronal activity in the brain. Previous studies have shown that about 30% of children with epilepsy (CWE) still had seizures after antiepileptic drug (AED) therapy [2] These underlying genetics or metabolic conditions, along with poor seizure control, Attitudes Toward Epilepsy in China will have negative effects on their cerebral and psychological development. Incomplete perception of epilepsy will place them at elevated risk for physiological complications including mental discomfort related to education, marriage, employment, and social life [7, 8]. In this case, parents’ attitudes toward epilepsy play a vital part in leading CWE to the comprehensive perception of epilepsy
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
