KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDE AND PRACTICE REGARDING EPILEPSY AMONG NURSES IN ASUTIFI NORTH DISTRICT

Abstract

Despite the increasing education and health care on epilepsy, some health professionals continue to linger in darkness about cause and treatment for epilepsy. Efforts to improve care of PWE are a major concern, little has been done to identify the extent of subjective knowledge, attitude and practice among nurses. The main objective of this study was to assess the knowledge, attitude and practice regarding epilepsy among nurses. The study employed an exploratory descriptive cross-sectional design with 102 participants. Data was collected using a paper-based semi-structured questionnaire. Results showed that 67.7% of the nurses were aware of the causes of epilepsy, 59.8% have low level of knowledge on the disease. Though 82.4% of the nurses suspect PWE to have mental illness, 70.6% of the nurses had good attitude towards epilepsy. However, 52.9% exhibited poor practices towards the disease. The socio-demographic characteristics of religion (Muslim) (p=0.017), area of speciality (RMN) (p=0.045) as well as close family relationship with epilepsy (p=0.001) were significantly associated with knowledge on epilepsy. Factors that were found to influence attitude towards epilepsy were sex (Female) (p=0.037), religion (Muslim) (p=0.012) and specialty area (RMN) (p=0.054). The area of specialty statistically influences their practices on epilepsy (p=0.001). There was no statistically significant association between knowledge on epilepsy and practice (p=0.134). However, attitude significantly related to practices on epilepsy (p=0.008) and indicated that poor attitude was more likely to be associated with poor practice. In conclusion, nurses at the Asutifi North District tended to have low knowledge, attitude and practices on epilepsy. It is important to improve training and health care delivery for epilepsy; and further research should be conducted on stigma against PWE.