Validation of the Indonesian Brief Screening Instrument for Epilepsy

Background Epidemiological studies on epilepsy in Indonesia are scarce, and population-based studies are non-existent. Additionally, no screening questionnaires for epilepsy are available in Indonesia, making future large-scale studies difficult. Therefore, we aimed to validate a short Indonesian screening instrument for epilepsy. Methods An English-language brief screening instrument for the ascertainment of epilepsy was translated into Indonesian through cross-cultural adaptation. The translated questionnaire was distributed to 125 subjects with epilepsy at the neurology clinic in Dr. Cipto Mangunkusumo National Central General Hospital and 125 subjects with no known history of epilepsy for validation. Results The translated Indonesian Brief Screening Instrument for Epilepsy demonstrated good reliability, with an overall Cronbach's alpha of 0.856. A total of 125 cases and 125 controls were analyzed. The sensitivity and specificity of the Indonesian Brief Screening Instrument for Epilepsy varied based on definitions, ranging from 97.6% to 100% and 60.8% to 97.6%, respectively. Under the broadest screen definition, the Indonesian Brief Screening Instrument for Epilepsy achieved 100% sensitivity (95% CI: 97.09-100) and 60.8% specificity (95% CI: 51.67-69.41), with a positive predictive value (PPV) of 1.77% (95% CI: 1.42-2.19) and a negative predictive value (NPV) of 100% (95% CI: 95.26-100). The tool's high NPV indicates strong ability to rule out epilepsy in screen-negative individuals. Conclusion The Indonesian Brief Screening Instrument for Epilepsy is a valid and reliable screening instrument for epidemiological studies in Indonesia.