Questionnaire survey on the understanding of epilepsy among non-medical persons

A questionnaire survey was conducted on the understanding of epilepsy and febrile seizures in preschool teachers, public health nurses, and parents or caregivers of children with epilepsy.

The survey was performed in three different sites at different dates. The participants were 16 preschool teachers, 25 public health nurses, and 34 parents or caregivers of children with epilepsy.

Seventy-seven percent of the participants thought that epilepsy was not always untreatable. Sixty-seven percent of the participants thought that epilepsy was not a hereditary disease. Sixty-one percent of the participants considered that repetitive seizures cause brain damage, and 93% of them thought that patients with epilepsy must be treated. Seventy-six percent of the participants thought that febrile seizures evolve into epilepsy if left untreated. Seventy-seven percent of the participants considered that vaccination can be performed in patients with epilepsy or febrile seizures, and 89% of them thought that swimming should not be forbidden in patients with epilepsy or febrile seizures. There was no significant difference in the answers with regard to the positions of the participants except in one question.

The present questionnaire survey provided some information on the understanding of epilepsy among non-medical persons. A nationwide public survey is needed to clarify the problems in the public understanding of epilepsy.