Ahmed Alaqeel1, Hisham Kamalmaz2, Hussam Abou Al-Shaar2, Ibrahim AlZahrani3, Alaa Alaqeel4, Samiha Aljetaily4, Amjad Aldrees4, Alanood Alsolaihim4, Rana Badghesh4, Al-Bandari Al Hamzah4, Hanan AlGethami5, AlBatool Al-Khalaf4, Feras Alqunaieer4, Iyad AbouAl-Shaar6, Aws AlMufleh7, Abdulrahman J Sabbagh8. 1. Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Surgery, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Division of Neurosurgery, University of Calgary, AB, Canada. 2. College of Medicine, Alfaisal University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. 3. Division of Neurological Surgery, Neurosciences Department, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. 4. College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. 5. Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Surgery, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. 6. School of Medicine, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan. 7. Cardiac Sciences Department, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; Department of Medicine, McGill University, 1001 Decarie Boulevard, Montreal (Quebec) H4A 3J1. 8. Faculty of Medicine, King Fahad Medical City, King Saud University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; Department of Neurosurgery, National Neuroscience Institute, Kind Fahad Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Electronic address: Abdulrahman.Sabbagh@gmail.com.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: We determine the impact of an educational awareness campaign on the level of knowledge and the attitude of the Saudi population in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in an attempt to improve the awareness and reduce the social stigma associated with epilepsy. METHODS: The Saudi Epilepsy Society organized a citywide awareness campaign in 2013. A survey consisting of 11 questions pertaining to epilepsy awareness was distributed to Saudi citizens living in Riyadh, aged 15 years and above, in malls, health clubs, mosques, universities, and schools during that campaign. The same questionnaire was administered before and after the awareness campaign to the same individuals on the same day to assess the impact of the campaign (n=2118). RESULTS: The epilepsy awareness campaign significantly raised the general knowledge about epilepsy: 1519 before vs. 1944 after (P<0.001) would allow their children to interact with an individual who had epilepsy; 1567 before vs. 688 after (P<0.001) would not want their children to marry an individual with epilepsy. Eight hundred twenty six before vs. 47 after (P<0.001) thought that epilepsy is untreatable. Regarding the causes of epilepsy, 1663 before vs. 896 after (P<0.001) believed that epilepsy is caused by supernatural powers, and 1224 before vs. 1874 after (P<0.001) chose brain disease as a cause of epilepsy. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that epilepsy awareness campaigns can close knowledge gaps. A long-term reevaluation may be needed to assess awareness sustainability.
OBJECTIVE: We determine the impact of an educational awareness campaign on the level of knowledge and the attitude of the Saudi population in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in an attempt to improve the awareness and reduce the social stigma associated with epilepsy. METHODS: The Saudi Epilepsy Society organized a citywide awareness campaign in 2013. A survey consisting of 11 questions pertaining to epilepsy awareness was distributed to Saudi citizens living in Riyadh, aged 15 years and above, in malls, health clubs, mosques, universities, and schools during that campaign. The same questionnaire was administered before and after the awareness campaign to the same individuals on the same day to assess the impact of the campaign (n=2118). RESULTS: The epilepsy awareness campaign significantly raised the general knowledge about epilepsy: 1519 before vs. 1944 after (P<0.001) would allow their children to interact with an individual who had epilepsy; 1567 before vs. 688 after (P<0.001) would not want their children to marry an individual with epilepsy. Eight hundred twenty six before vs. 47 after (P<0.001) thought that epilepsy is untreatable. Regarding the causes of epilepsy, 1663 before vs. 896 after (P<0.001) believed that epilepsy is caused by supernatural powers, and 1224 before vs. 1874 after (P<0.001) chose brain disease as a cause of epilepsy. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that epilepsy awareness campaigns can close knowledge gaps. A long-term reevaluation may be needed to assess awareness sustainability.
Authors: Asma S Habbash; Khaled A Amer; Abdulrahman A Aldosari; Rammas A Shawkhan; Majdoleen A Abdulrahman; Shuruq Z Alshehri; Rahaf Y Wakidah Journal: Cureus Date: 2022-05-11
Authors: Yusuf Alshehri; Iman Salem; Zeyad Alamri; Ammar Alharbi; Abdulrahman Alshehri; Ahmed Alqurashi; Ahmad Alsaeedi; Abdulrahman Alotaibi; Abdulrahman Jafar Sabbagh Journal: J Family Med Prim Care Date: 2020-12-31
Authors: Vanessa Brizuela; Mercedes Bonet; João Paulo Souza; Özge Tunçalp; Kasisomayajula Viswanath; Ana Langer Journal: BMC Public Health Date: 2019-06-03 Impact factor: 3.295