KSPM
Search
- Page Path
- HOME > Search
Original Article
- Teachers’ Negative Attitudes and Limited Health Literacy Levels as Risks for Low Awareness of Epilepsy in Turkey
- Gulay Yilmazel
- J Prev Med Public Health. 2023;56(6):573-582. Published online November 13, 2023
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.3961/jpmph.23.330
- 5,777 View
- 116 Download
- 5 Web of Science
- 6 Crossref
-
Abstract
Summary
PDF
Supplementary Material - Objectives
For students with epilepsy, schools are a critical environment for managing the disease properly. This study examined awareness of epilepsy, attitudes toward epilepsy, and health literacy among school teachers in Turkey.
Methods
This study was conducted in a city in Turkey with 1408 public school teachers from June 2021 to September 2021.
Results
The median scores of the scales were 5, 29, and 32 for epilepsy awareness, epilepsy attitudes, and health literacy, respectively. Epilepsy awareness was higher in women, and epilepsy attitudes were more positive in women than men (p<0.05). While epilepsy awareness was higher in primary school teachers, epilepsy attitudes were more positive in secondary school teachers (p<0.05). Epilepsy awareness was lower in secondary school teachers (odds ratio [OR], 1.27; p<0.05), those who did not have an individual with epilepsy in their family/social environment (OR, 1.57; p<0.001), those who did not have a student with epilepsy in their class (OR, 1.45; p<0.05), and in those who had not witnessed an epilepsy seizure (OR,1.19; p<0.05). Compared to those with positive attitudes regarding epilepsy, epilepsy awareness was 1.36 times lower in those with negative attitudes (p<0.001). Epilepsy awareness was 1.92 times lower in those with limited health literacy than those with adequate health literacy (p<0.001).
Conclusions
In this study, low epilepsy awareness, negative epilepsy attitudes, and limited health literacy were common among teachers. The findings from this study suggest that panels, workshops, and health training on epilepsy should be organized for school teachers and included at regular intervals in certified first-aid practices. -
SummaryKey Message
• This article examined school teachers' barriers to epilepsy awareness. • Awareness was low, negative attitudes were high, and health literacy level was limited. • Negative attitudes and limited health literacy were the most effective risks for poor awareness.Citations
Citations to this article as recorded by
- Evaluation of teachers’ first aid knowledge about children with seizures before and after video simulation training
Pınar Özkan Kart, Beril Dilber, Sinan Paslı, Nihal Yıldız, Ahmet Kağan Özkaya, Gülnur Esenülkü, Tülay Kamaşak, Elif Acar Arslan, Sevim Şahin, Ali Cansu
Trends in Pediatrics.2026; 7(1): 52. CrossRef - Visually Enhanced Mental Simulation (VEMS) in teacher candidates’ emergency response to epileptic seizures and attitudes toward epilepsy
Ebru Bağ, Eylem Topbaş, Gökçe Yüce Onur, Zahide Tunçbilek
Epilepsy & Behavior.2026; 180: 111022. CrossRef - Health Literacy and Attitudes Towards Childhood Epilepsy
Burcu cengiz, Gulendam Karadag
Journal of Community Health Nursing.2025; 42(1): 43. CrossRef - The relationship between attitudes toward epilepsy and health literacy in Turkey: The mediating role of epilepsy knowledge
Emre Erkal
Seizure: European Journal of Epilepsy.2025; 125: 186. CrossRef - The effect of a web-based epilepsy education program developed for teachers on their knowledge, attitudes, and self-management
Fulya Merve Kos, Murat Bektas, Dijle Ayar
Epilepsy & Behavior.2025; 171: 110637. CrossRef - The Role of Pharmacists’ Interventions in Increasing Medication Adherence of Patients With Epilepsy: A Scoping Review
Iin Ernawati, Nanang Munif Yasin, Ismail Setyopranoto, Zullies Ikawati
Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health.2024; 57(3): 212. CrossRef
First
Prev
