Knowledge, Attitudes And Practices Towards Epilepsy Among Secondary School Teachers In Oshana Region

ABSTRACT

Epilepsy is the most common serious and chronic neurological disorder worldwide. Lack of knowledge and negative attitudes among teachers towards epilepsy causes stigmatization and discrimination of children diagnosed with epilepsy on a daily basis. Teachers in Namibia do not receive formal training on epilepsy, which may lead to them missing partial epileptic seizures, especially on undiagnosed children. Little is known about the knowledge, attitudes and practices of Namibian teachers towards epilepsy, because there are no documented findings about the condition. Of the 247 patients who were diagnosed with epilepsy at Oshakati Intermediate Hospital from January to December 2013, 31% of them were school-going children. It is against this background that a quantitative, descriptive and cross sectional study was employed to assess the knowledge, attitudes and practices of secondary school teachers in Oshana Region towards epilepsy. The objectives of the study were to: Examine the knowledge of secondary school teachers in Oshana Region on epilepsy, determine the attitudes of secondary school teachers in Oshana Region towards epilepsy and explore practices of secondary school teachers in Oshana Region towards epilepsy.