General Knowledge, Awareness and Attitude on Epilepsy among Students of Riyadh Elm University: A Cross-Sectional Study

Introduction: Across the globe, epilepsy impacts over 70 million individuals, contributing to 13 million disability-adjusted life years annually, as reported by the Global Burden of Epilepsy Report. The condition is associated with a yearly mortality rate of 125,000, with a significant 80% of these deaths occurring in low- and middle-income countries. Nurses are vital to the comprehensive care of epilepsy, offering more than just direct patient support. Their role encompasses psychosocial guidance, patient education, treatment administration, and risk management.

Methods: This cross-sectional study evaluated the general knowledge, attitudes, and awareness of epilepsy among 212 nursing students. The study aimed to identify demographic characteristics, determine knowledge and awareness levels, and assess attitudes towards epilepsy. A self-administered structured questionnaire was used for data collection, with ethical approval obtained from the Institutional Review Board (IRB).
Results: The majority of students demonstrated poor knowledge of epilepsy. Students' attitudes were predominantly neutral, characterized by a high prevalence of "I don't know" responses across social, legal, and lifestyle aspects of individuals with epilepsy. Misconceptions, such as believing people with epilepsy cannot get married, were also prevalent. However, a statistically significant difference in epilepsy knowledge was found across different nursing levels (p=0.017), indicating that students at higher nursing levels generally possess more knowledge than those at lower levels. Despite these findings, there was no statistically significant association between students' overall knowledge about epilepsy and their general attitude toward it (p=0.394).

Conclusion: Students exhibited poor knowledge and largely neutral attitudes regarding epilepsy. While academic progression through nursing levels positively influenced knowledge, knowledge alone did not correlate with more positive attitudes. These findings highlight the critical need for targeted educational interventions, including mandatory modules, public awareness campaigns, and experiential learning, to improve both knowledge and foster empathetic attitudes among future healthcare professionals.