Epilepsy-related knowledge and attitudes of nursing students

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to determine the epilepsy-related knowledge and attitudes of nursing students.

Method: The descriptive and cross-sectional study was conducted on 986 nursing students from the nursing faculty of a state university in eastern Türkiye. Data were collected using a sociodemographic information form, the Epilepsy Knowledge Scale, and the Epilepsy Attitudes Scale. Descriptive statistics, t-tests, one-way ANOVA, linear regression analysis, and Cronbach’s alpha internal consistency coefficient were used for data analysis.

Results: The average age of participants was 21.18±1.79 years, with 67.2% being female, 27.5% 4th-year students, and 89.5% did not have a family member with epilepsy. The mean scores for the Epilepsy Knowledge Scale and the Epilepsy Attitudes Scale were 9.65±4.04 and 57.16±7.85, respectively. Gender, academic year, source of information, personal experience witnessing an epileptic seizure, providing care to an epilepsy patient, and the location of witnessing a seizure were significant predictors of epilepsy-related knowledge. Gender and knowledge about epilepsy were significant predictors of attitudes towards epilepsy.

Conclusion: The study revealed that nursing students had moderate levels of knowledge about epilepsy and positive attitudes towards the condition.