Perceived stigma and school attendance among children and adolescents with epilepsy in South Western Uganda.

Joseph Kirabira,Robyn Fallen,Bernard Sserwanga,Ben Jimmy Forry

doi:10.4314/ahs.v20i1.43

Abstract

Epilepsy is a neurological disorder that has a high worldwide prevalence with eighty percent of the global burden being in low and middle-income countries. There is a high level of perceived stigma among children and adolescents with epilepsy, which has severe debilitating effects and affects school attendance. To assess the effect of perceived stigma on school attendance patterns among children and adolescents with epilepsy. We conducted a cross sectional study among 191 children and adolescents aged from 6-18 years with epilepsy at one large semi-urban hospital and a small rural health center in SouthWestern Uganda. Epilepsy-related perceived stigma was measured using the adapted Kilifi Stigma Scale of Epilepsy and school attendance patterns were assessed using a piloted investigator-designed questionnaire. Children with high-perceived stigma were more likely to have never attended school (13.8%) or started school late (average age 5.7 years) compared to those with low-perceived stigma (average age 4.9 years). Additionally, those with high epilepsy-related perceived stigma repeated classes 2.5 times more compared to those with low-perceived stigma. These preliminary findings suggest correlation between high-perceived stigma and disrupted school attendance patterns among children and adolescents with epilepsy, hence the need to address this social challenge.

Highlights

Epilepsy is a neurological disorder that has a high worldwide prevalence with eighty percent of the global burden being in low and middle-income countries
We found that children with epilepsy having high perceived stigma (PS) had poorer school attendance patterns compared to those that have low PS
These study findings suggest an association between high-perceived stigma of epilepsy and poor school attendance patterns among children and adolescents with epilepsy (CAWE)

Summary

Introduction

Epilepsy is a neurological disorder that has a high worldwide prevalence with eighty percent of the global burden being in low and middle-income countries. There is a high level of perceived stigma among children and adolescents with epilepsy, which has severe debilitating effects and affects school attendance. Introduction Epilepsy is a brain disorder characterized by at least two unprovoked seizures more than 24 hours apart or one unprovoked seizure when the risk for another is known to be high (>60%), reflex seizures and seizures that are part of an epilepsy syndrome[1] It is highly prevalent globally but most of the affected individuals are from low and middle income countries[2]. Among children and adolescents with epilepsy (CAWE), PS is likely to lead to avoidance of social interactions with peers and adults leading to school avoidance This can result in irregular school attendance patterns and subsequent academic underachievement[13,14]. It is not clear whether epilepsy or its effects (such as stigma) are responsible for these experiences

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