Knowledge, attitudes and practices towards epilepsy in morocco: A cross-sectional study.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: This study aims to assess knowledge, practices and attitudes of the general Moroccan population towards epilepsy and to highlight predictive factors. METHOD: A cross-sectional study was conducted in the Casablanca-Settat Moroccan region. A questionnaire was used to collect sociodemographic data and item answers from 400 people with epilepsy (PWE) and without epilepsy caregivers on dependent variables knowledge, attitudes, and practices towards epilepsy. Bivariate and logistic regression analyses were performed using IBM SPSS Statistics 21.0. Statistical significance was set when P value < 0.05. RESULTS: The rates of poor knowledge, practices, and attitudes toward epilepsy were 11.5 %, 41 %, and 66.6 %, respectively. In the multivariate analysis, the risk of having poor knowledge about epilepsy was favored by lack of education (ORa = 4.31;CI95%1.83-10.13;p = 0.001) and the absence of familiarity with epilepsy (ORa = 4.05;CI95%1.92-8.54;p < 0.001). The risk of preferring allopathic practices to treat epilepsy was associated with lack of education (ORa = 2.21;CI95%1.01-4.82;p = 0.046), residence in a city outside Casablanca (ORa = 2.33;CI95%1.06-5.15;p = 0.035), age over 59 years (ORa = 2.50;CI95%1.26-4.95; p = 0.008), residence in a rural areas (ORa = 4.41;CI95%2.61-7.47;p < 0.001) and absence of familiarity with epilepsy (ORa = 4.08;CI95%2.33-7.15;p < 0.001). Predictors of stigma towards epilepsy were female sex (ORa = 3.05;CI95%2.04-4.56;p < 0.001) and the tendency to abandon anti-seizure medication for allopathic alternatives (ORa = 3.98;CI95%2.21-7.17;p < 0.001), whereas advanced age was a protective factor (ORa = 0.57;CI95%0.36-0.89;p = 0.014[39-59 years vs 18-29 years];ORa = 0.44;CI95%0.23-0.82;p = 0.011[>59 years vs 18-29 years]). CONCLUSIONS: The rate of poor attitudes and treatment-seeking behavior was high. This socio-cultural context certainly impacts the quality of life and care of Moroccan PWE. These results should be considered to raise awareness in the Moroccan population.