Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to thoroughly examine the knowledge, awareness, attitude, and stigma related to epilepsy within the community of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Methods: The study was conducted in Riyadh targeting individuals aged 18 years and older. Data were gathered through an online self-administered survey.
Results: Out of 384 eligible participants who completed the questionnaire, the majority were female, married, Saudi nationals with bachelor’s degrees, and the average age was 36.5 years. A substantial number of the participants had poor knowledge levels (69%), and only 27.1% believed epilepsy was common in Saudi Arabia. However, the majority thought that epileptic patients could lead normal lives (82%) and could attend regular classrooms (68%). In the event of a seizure, the primary response was to call an ambulance (34.6%) and keep the person safe from harm (27.9%). While 27.3% perceived epilepsy as a social stigma in Saudi Arabia, only 11.2% would object to their children interacting with a child who experiences seizures. Nevertheless, 34.1% would not approve of their child marrying someone with epilepsy. Overall, individuals aged 60 years or younger demonstrated better knowledge (46%) compared to older individuals (21.4%). Single participants also exhibited greater knowledge levels (44.6%) than their married counterparts (22.3%).
Conclusion: This research underscored the low understanding of epilepsy in Riyadh, illuminating the attitudes and stigma related to the condition. It calls attention to the necessity for educational initiatives and further research on this subject.

Key words: Awareness, attitude, epilepsy, knowledge, Saudi Arabia