Determination of stigma and attitude in relatives of patients with epilepsy

This study was conducted to determine stigma and attitudes in the relatives of patients with epilepsy and the factors affecting them.

This descriptive and cross-sectional study was conducted with 173 relatives of patients with epilepsy who were admitted to the neurology outpatient clinic of a university hospital in Van Province, eastern Turkey, between April and December 2021. Individual information forms, the Epilepsy Stigma Scale Patient's Relative, and the Epilepsy Attitude Scale were used to collect the data.

The mean stigma score was 54.58 (standard deviation [SD] = 10.96), and the mean attitude score was 53.05 (SD = 8.14). A negative and significant correlation was found between stigma score and attitude score (r = -0.457, p < 0.001). It was found that stigma and attitude scores differed significantly in terms of education, hiding epilepsy, and the idea that epilepsy is related to spiritual thoughts (p < 0.05).

As a result of this study, it was found that the relatives of patients with epilepsy were generally moderately stigmatized (64.8 %) and had moderate attitudes toward epilepsy. As the stigma increased in the participants, it was determined that they showed more negative attitudes toward epilepsy. The results indicated that relatives of patients with epilepsy who had one or more seizures per month experienced more stigma, and relatives of patients with epilepsy who did not take their medication regularly exhibited a more negative attitude toward epilepsy.