Portal de Periódicos da CAPES

Saudi Teachers' Knowledge and Practices Related to Management of Students with Epilepsy

2019; Clinical Society of Cairo University; Volume: 87; Issue: March Linguagem: Inglês

10.21608/mjcu.2019.52534

2536-9806

YOUSSEF ALI MOHAMAD LUBNA, ASMA SAEED WAFA DAIFALLAH, Mousa Assiri, Ossama A. Mostafa,

Pharmacological Effects and Toxicity Studies

Background: To assess teachers' knowledge and practice regarding management of epilepsy among schoolchildren. Aim of Study:This study aimed to assess teachers' knowledge and their practices toward epileptic students in Arar City, northern Region of Saudi Arabia. Subjects and Methods:A cross-sectional study was conducted in Arar City, at the Northern Region of Saudi Arabia.It included 404 school teachers (320 males and 84 females).A questionnaire testing teacher's knowledge and practice regarding management of students with epilepsy was constructed and used for data collection.Results: Almost all participants (99%) knew what epilepsy is, while only 39.4% knew that epilepsy is not contagious.Only 46.5% knew causes of epilepsy, while only 30.4% denied the relation between epilepsy and evil eyes, and 50.5% correctly responded to questions related to role of certain types of food as triggering factors related to epileptic seizures.Most participants (83.4%) correctly stated the relation between epilepsy and increased brain electric charges, while only 44.3% stated the early symptoms/signs of an imminent epileptic fit.Only 15.6% of participants denied that epilepsy does not affect child's intelligence, 67.3% knew complications of epilepsy, while 38.9% knew treatment of epilepsy.Participants' mean total knowledge score (out of 10) was 5.15 ± 1.32.Relatives and friends constitute the main source of teachers' knowledge about epilepsy (49.1%), followed by internet (44.1%) and lastly mass media (4.9%), and books (1.9%).75.5% of participant teachers witnessed epileptic schoolchildren while in seizure.Their practices were mainly to call an ambulance (72%), remove any dangerous objects around the victim (69.1%), put a soft object between his teeth (68.6%), ensure good ventilation (63.4%) and pull his tongue out (50.5%).Participants' mean total practice score (out of 10) was 4.85± 1.28.Mean teachers' knowledge and practice scores were highest among those aged >50 years (5.34 ± 1.75 and