EXPERIENCES OF PEOPLE LIVING WITH EPILEPSY IN THE ACCRA METROPOLIS

ABSTRACT The study explored the experiences of People Living with Epilepsy (PLWE) in the Accra Metropolis. The study aimed at describing the beliefs that PLWE have about the disease, their coping strategies and health outcomes. A descriptive-exploratory design was employed and the Leventhal‘s common sense model was used to guide the study. Participants were purposively sampled and saturation was achieved at the 13th participant. Face-to-face in-depth interviews were conducted and data were analysed using the thematic content analysis approach. The themes and sub themes were illness representations (identity, cause, timeline, consequences, cure and control, illness coherence, and emotional response), coping with epilepsy (problem focused coping; lifestyle changes; social support; faith in God; concealing diagnosis; thinking and worrying) and health outcomes (negative outcomes, positive outcomes and adjustment to work). Participants labelled epilepsy as a disgraceful illness. Most participants attributed the disease to spiritual causes which indicated a knowledge gap in the actual causes of epilepsy. Seizures caused injuries and affected their education, work and relationships. Fear, anxiety and sadness concerning seizures were commonly expressed. Treatment modalities for epilepsy were spiritual intervention, traditional or orthodox medicines or a combination of two or more. A reduction in the frequency and severity of seizures was a positive outcome and the worsening of seizures was a negative outcome. It was recommended that health care workers in collaboration with the media should intensify health education campaigns on epilepsy to demystify traditional concepts about epilepsy and help bring Ghanaians towards greater understanding and acceptance of PLWE.