Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to analyze schoolteachers’ knowledge and perceptions of epilepsy in the Makkah region of Saudi Arabia.
Methods: A rigorously organized cross-sectional study was carried out in Saudi Arabia’s Makkah region from August 2023 to February 2024, assuring extensive data gathering and analysis. The inclusion criteria were carefully set to include school teachers of both genders who lived in the Makkah region of Saudi Arabia, were aged ≥18 years, and spoke Arabic, guaranteeing a diverse and representative sample. A valid questionnaire was used for data collection from 491 participants. Teachers who provided incomplete data or declined to participate were excluded.
Result: Most participants (72.7%) had heard/read about epilepsy before, and almost one-third (31.6%) taught students who had epilepsy. Regarding the participants’ attitude toward epilepsy, 47.7% positively disagreed that children with epilepsy should be placed in a school designated for them. Forty-six percent of the participants correctly reported that if a student was having a seizure in front of them, they should put something soft under the patient’s head and remove nearby sharp objects.
Conclusion: This study showed an overall suboptimal understanding of epilepsy and a positive attitude toward epilepsy among school teachers. These findings emphasize the need for thorough training and awareness programs for all school staff, regardless of their background.

Key words: schoolteachers, childhood epilepsy, cross-sectional studies, knowledge of teacher, a teacher education.