Do cultural beliefs differ among people with epilepsy and physical impairment?
We explored cultural beliefs among people with epilepsy or physical impairment. Differences between epilepsy and physical impairment were subtle. However, beliefs were significantly shaped by religious background.
Why do people with epilepsy choose to take traditional treatments?
These beliefs play a major role in people's choices of treatment. They choose to follow traditional treatment paths in part because they believe that traditional medicines work well in people with epilepsy, and the natural history of seizures and epilepsy may help support the beliefs.
How do cultural beliefs affect epilepsy care in rural Guinea-Bissau?
Epilepsy care is problematic in rural Guinea-Bissau, West Africa. We explored cultural beliefs among people with epilepsy or physical impairment. Differences between epilepsy and physical impairment were subtle. However, beliefs were significantly shaped by religious background.
How do racial/ethnic minorities experience epilepsy?
Racial/ethnic minorities also appear to have limited knowledge about epilepsy and its treatment, experience barriers to care, lack social support, and seek alternative therapies for epilepsy. We propose a framework to identify the array of disparities, points of intervention, and interventions.
Can epilepsy be treated traditionally?
Epilepsy is traditionally treated with antiseizure medications. Although they can be extremely helpful, these medications may not work for everyone, and as with any medication, can come with a risk of side effects.
What are the African beliefs on epilepsy?
In Africa, persons with epilepsy are shunned and discriminated against in education, employment and marriage because epilepsy is often perceived as a shameful disease in the eyes of the general public.
Can traditional healers cure epilepsy?
These healers believed that epilepsy could be caused by amafufunyana (evil spirits) and that biomedical doctors could not treat the supernatural causes of epilepsy. However, the healers believed that western medicines, as well as traditional medicines, could be effective in treating the epileptic seizures.
What therapies are used for epilepsy?
Doctors generally begin by treating epilepsy with medication....Apart from medications and surgery, these potential therapies offer an alternative for treating epilepsy:Vagus nerve stimulation. ... Ketogenic diet. ... Deep brain stimulation. ... Responsive neurostimulation.
Can I marry a girl with epilepsy?
A: From a medical point of view, persons with epilepsy can marry. However, in some countries there have been laws and in others even now there are laws that prevent persons with epilepsy to marry. It is important that the would be spouse of a person with epilepsy should be aware of the situation.
What does the Bible say about epilepsy?
Epilepsy in the bible Arguably the most famous epilepsy healing reference in the Bible can be found in Mark 9:17-27; Matthew 17:14-18 and Luke 9:37-43 which all describe Jesus healing the boy with epilepsy by driving out an evil spirit.
Can Chinese medicine help with epilepsy?
Gastrodia elata is a widely used traditional Chinese medicine for treating neurological disorders, such as headache, insomnia, and epilepsy (Zhan et al., 2016; Liu et al., 2018).
What did they do in ancient times to treat epilepsy?
Treatments consisted of prescribed diets or living conditions, occasional surgery such as bloodletting or skull trephination and medicinal herbs. These treatments, often ineffective, had the intellectual advantage of being based on pathophysiological principles, unlike current, more empirical, therapies.
Is epilepsy caused by witchcraft?
Nevertheless, many physicians in that era (and even much earlier) recognized that epilepsy usually was caused by processes in the person's own body. They believed that cases caused by witchcraft were the exception rather than the rule, though the general public probably saw witches and demons as having a greater role.
Where is the best treatment for epilepsy?
Anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs) AEDs are the most commonly used treatment for epilepsy. They help control seizures in around 7 out of 10 of people. AEDs work by changing the levels of chemicals in your brain.
Which famous person has epilepsy?
Vincent van Gogh suffered from seizures doctors believed were cause by temporal lobe epilepsy. Composer George Gershwin was diagnosed with epilepsy. Actress Margaux Hemingway had from epilepsy from the age of seven. Korn front man Jonathan Davis believes his epilepsy was induced by years of drug use.
What is the latest treatment for epilepsy?
In 2018, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a deep brain stimulation (DBS) device, manufactured by Medtronic, that sends electrical pulses through the brain to reduce the frequency of seizures. (It works by stimulating an important relay station deep in the brain called the thalamus.)
Abstract
People living with a disability in sub-Saharan Africa have poorer health outcomes, lower educational successes, less economic participation, and higher levels of poverty than people without disability. Disability-inclusive development promotes the involvement of people with disabilities in programs that reduce these inequalities.
1. Introduction
People living with disabilities in sub-Saharan Africa are prone to stigma and social marginalization, particularly those with epilepsy [1], [2], [3], [4]. Multiple studies have identified the knowledge of and attitudes towards people with epilepsy in this area [5].
2. Methods
Guinea-Bissau is a small coastal country located in West Africa, between the Republic of Senegal in the north and the Republic of Guinea in the east and south. It is one of the poorest countries in the world and has one of the lowest scores on the human development index, which is a composite score on the achievement in human development [15].
3. Results
Table 1 shows the demographic data for the 31 study participants. Five ethnicities were represented, with the majority being ethnic Balanta (45%) or ethnic Fula (19%). Most participants were Muslim or Christian, comprising 45% and 39% of the sample, respectively.
4. Discussion
In this study, we identified cultural beliefs among people with disability in Guinea-Bissau and related those to the religious background and type of disability. We found poor knowledge of and negative attitudes towards disability among persons with a disability.
Conflict of interest
None of the authors has any conflict of interest in relation to this work to disclose.
Acknowledgments
We are grateful to the study participants for their time and contribution. We thank the members of the community-based rehabilitation program Jedidias for their enthusiastic support and commitment.
What are the causes of epilepsy?
Witchcraft, bewitchment, poisoning, the presence of an evil spirit, or the casting of a spell on a family by someone who is jealous are all considered possible causes of epilepsy. In this theory of disease there are forces inside the afflicted person that fight with the blood and cause the disease.
What was the theme of the 2014 African Epilepsy Congress?
One of the major themes at the 2014 African Epilepsy Congress was the role of traditional healers in the treatment of epilepsy. Although no one knows for sure, it is likely that the majority of people with epilepsy go to these caregivers who are established and respected members of their communities. There are many reasons why people who have had ...
Can a seizure be treated in a hospital?
Once they have removed the evil spirit, the patient can be referred to a hospital. Some healers feel that once a patient sustains a burn from a seizure then that patient can no longer be treated by traditional medicine and has to be referred to a hospital.
What are the barriers to epilepsy care?
A qualitative study examined access to care, help-seeking behaviors, and adherence to treatment among African-American women with epilepsy [66]. Lack of economic resources (e.g., to purchase medication) and problems with transportation (e.g., driving restrictions, dependence on others) were identified as the most important barriers in accessing epilepsy care and adhering to medical treatment in this population. Some study participants also indicated that their lives and financial situation worsened after the onset of seizures. Another barrier for the patients was a general lack of knowledge about epilepsy in the African-American community, which affects social relationships (stigma, social isolation) and help-seeking behaviors (e.g., postponement of medical treatment). Patient–provider communication was identified as still another barrier. Many of the women felt uncomfortable discussing their condition with health care providers, and few were aware of the availability of epilepsy specialty care in their city. Higher satisfaction with care was expressed by women receiving epilepsy specialty care than women managed solely by primary care physicians. Some women felt that their psychological and spiritual needs were not addressed. Finally, social support was instrumental for accessing care and complying with medication, whereas family attitudes shaped views about epilepsy surgery in the African-American women with epilepsy.
Do ethnic groups have epilepsy?
The literature suggests that some racial and ethnic groups hold traditional, nonbiomedical views with respect to cause of epilepsy, as well as source of and treatment for epilepsy. As a result, racial/ethnic minority members with epilepsy are likely to seek complementary or alternative therapies for epilepsy (e.g., spiritual healing). They also experience stigma and social isolation. Furthermore, traditional views and beliefs regarding epilepsy are believed to contribute to the observed differences in epilepsy treatment [69].