Attitudes towards epilepsy in general practice.

Little is known about the attitudes of general practitioners (GPs) towards epilepsy or of the attitudes they attribute to laypersons. Postal questionnaires returned by 50 GPs permitted an analysis of the main sources of their knowledge of epilepsy, the role of GPs in treating patients with epilepsy, the personalities and behaviour of people with epilepsy, and the psychological and social consequences of having epilepsy. The results were compared with a recent Australian survey and the implications for care discussed.