Knowledge of and attitude towards epilepsy among university students in Saudi Arabia: Misconceptions of the next generation

Abstract

Highlights We examined knowledge of and attitudes toward epilepsy among university students in Saudi Arabia. Knowledge of and attitudes towards epilepsy were more favorable among students of health specialties. One fifth linked epilepsy to spirits possession and mental disorders, but almost half prefer spiritual ritual treatment. Social interactions with people with epilepsy were more favorable among women except toward marriage. Universities should make efforts to correct misconceptions and reduce the social burden of epilepsy.

Smartphone Addiction Prevalence and Its Association on Academic Performance, Physical Health, and Mental Well-Being among University Students in Umm Al-Qura University (UQU), Saudi Arabia

“…The average use of smartphones in Saudi Arabia ranged from two to six hours per day in 2016 [ 61 ]. There are about 36 universities with over 1.7 million enrolled students in Saudi Arabia [ 62 ], however there are limited studies about smartphone addiction among university students in the country.…”

Epilepsy Stigma Among University Students in Makkah: A Cross-Sectional Study

“…It revealed students’ misconceptions about the causes of epilepsy, treatment options, and attitudes toward epileptic patients. Hakami et al 15 also found that health colleges had a superior understanding of how to distinguish epilepsy from other illnesses. Medical students also know about epilepsy as a medical illness, according to Alsaab et al 17 Results showed 86.8% of the students were positively able to distinguish seizure as abnormal electrical discharge in the brain.…”

“…However, 64.5% of the students agreed to hire PSE in the workplace in our survey. Research in Saudi Arabia 15 found a strong link between university students’ degree of knowledge and the reduction of stigma among diverse professions (P<0.001) and encouraged epileptic patients to consult with healthcare specialists. Overall, our research revealed that university students in Makkah had a good attitude regarding coping with PWE.…”

“…For generations, in the Saudi community, an association between spirits possession and stigmatization of epileptic patients is believed. 15 Young adults, such as university students, can bridge the gap, improve PWE attitudes, and reduce stigma. Young adults are a potentially vital source to change the public attitude toward epilepsy patients.…”

Perspectives and Experiences of Smartphone Overuse among University Students in Umm Al-Qura University (UQU), Saudi Arabia: A Qualitative Analysis

“…Demographically, approximately 70% of the population of Saudi Arabia is under 34 years old, 5,802,334 of which are in the 20–35 age range which corresponds to the age range of Saudi university students. In Saudi Arabia, there are currently over 1.7 million students enrolled in universities and colleges [ 18 ]. Studies from two different Saudis universities concur that almost all university students had smartphones [ 11 , 12 ] and 95% of university students used smartphones to access social media platforms in 2016 [ 19 ].…”