Belief systems of epilepsy and attitudes toward people living with epilepsy in a rural community of northern Tanzania

Neurocysticercosis in sub-Saharan Africa: a review of prevalence, clinical characteristics, diagnosis, and management

“…In the absence of CT the clinician may attempt to get serial T. solium cysticercosis antigen levels 89 The 'access gap' is caused by factors such as inconsistent access to health facilities with antiepileptic medication, lack of knowledge of affected people and their families, medical personnel and entire communities on the topic of epilepsy, traditional concepts as to the origin of epilepsy and resulting stigma towards people with epilepsy, among other factors. [96][97][98][99] This stigma was clearly demonstrated in a recent study from Zambia which showed that people with epilepsy are disadvantaged regarding social and economic matters compared to people with other chronic diseases without an attached stigma, such as asthma, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and rheumatic heart disease. 100 The 'adherence gap' which describes the failure of compliance with antiepileptic medication often is due to lack of information and education of the patients and their families as well as lack of time and lack of knowledge on treatment of health personnel.…”

“…Adherence to antiepileptic medication not only is influenced by health service related factors but again by stigma towards people with epilepsy and by people's belief systems which may view epilepsy as caused by demoniac possession or punishment for sins, among others. [96][97][98][99] Those and other factors that may be responsible for the 'epilepsy treatment gap' have to be taken into consideration when dealing with people with epilepsy/epileptic seizures in subSaharan Africa, irrespective of the origin of the epileptic seizures.…”

Perception of epilepsy among public workers: Perspectives from a developing country

“…Though epilepsy is a common disease, it is reported to be associated with significant social discrimination [4] and stigmatization as a result of misconceptions, limited knowledge, and poor public awareness about the disease [5,6]. The common false beliefs are related to mental retardation, insanity, evil spirit possession, and epilepsy being contagious [7][8][9]. These myths and prejudice that have surrounded epilepsy have persisted for thousands of years and are major factors that compel people with the disorder to hide the disease [1,[8][9][10].…”

“…The common false beliefs are related to mental retardation, insanity, evil spirit possession, and epilepsy being contagious [7][8][9]. These myths and prejudice that have surrounded epilepsy have persisted for thousands of years and are major factors that compel people with the disorder to hide the disease [1,[8][9][10]. Most of the negative attitudes documented in people with epilepsy are in relation to marriage, job employment, education, and social acceptance [11][12][13][14]; hence, the person with epilepsy is most likely to drop out of school, lose his or her job, and find it difficult to make friends.…”

Epilepsy and neurocysticercosis in sub-Saharan Africa

“…The lack of awareness of local and international policy makers, poor infrastructure, long travel distances, the insufficient or only intermittent availability of antiepileptic medications, the lack of education among people with epilepsy, their families and the communities, the predominance of traditional belief systems and the scarcity of trained medical personnel may be responsible for this large treatment gap [39,40]. Another important but often neglected cause of this treatment gap is social stigma.…”