ArticleInfectious diseases of poverty2018
Community perceptions of epilepsy and its treatment in an onchocerciasis endemic region in Ituri, Democratic Republic of Congo.
Article in Infectious diseases of poverty, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 15 papers.
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Who cites it
15 citing papers in PubMed, 26 citations in OpenAlex.
- Nodding Syndrome: The Need to Strengthen Epilepsy Care in Onchocerciasis-Endemic Areas and to Investigate the Pathogenesis of Onchocerciasis-Associated Epilepsy.The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene · 2026Article
- Epilepsy-Related Misconceptions, Cultural Beliefs, and Their Impact on Health Outcomes: A Systematic Review.Cureus · 2025Review
- Attitudes and perceptions towards epilepsy in an onchocerciasis-endemic region of Tanzania: a mixed approach to determine the magnitude and driving factors.BMC public health · 2024Article
- Review of epilepsy care in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.Epilepsia open · 2024Review
- Diagnosis of Epilepsy by Traditional Healers and Its Implications on Management in the Selected Rural Communities of Limpopo and Mpumalanga Provinces: A Qualitative Study.Neuropsychiatric disease and treatment · 2023Article
- Community Health Workers' Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices towards Epilepsy in Sofala, Central Mozambique.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2022Article
- Article
- Management of epilepsy through indigenous traditional and Western approaches in Africa: A systematic review.Health SA = SA Gesondheid · 2022Article
- Neurologic Complications of Poverty: the Associations Between Poverty as a Social Determinant of Health and Adverse Neurologic Outcomes.Current neurology and neuroscience reports · 2021Review
- Community perceptions and attitudes regarding epilepsy and disease cost after implementation of a community-based epilepsy treatment program in onchocerciasis-endemic communities in the Democratic Republic of Congo.Epilepsy & behavior : E&B · 2021Article
- African Perspective of Social Distancing in Pandemics: Adoption Challenges.Psychological studies · 2021Article
- Long-Term Impact of Single Epilepsy Training on Knowledge, Attitude and Practices: Comparison of Trained and Untrained Rwandan Community Health Workers.International journal of public health · 2021Article
- Stigma and epilepsy in onchocerciasis-endemic regions in Africa: a review and recommendations from the onchocerciasis-associated epilepsy working group.Infectious diseases of poverty · 2019Review
- Economic Burden of Epilepsy in Rural Ituri, Democratic Republic of Congo.EClinicalMedicine · 2019Article
- Nodding syndrome research, lessons learned from the NSETHIO project.Global mental health (Cambridge, England) · 2019Review
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
8 authors at 3 institutions in 3 countries.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundA recent study in the Logo and Rethy health zones in the Ituri Province in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) reported that the majority of the persons with epilepsy (PWE) had not been treated with anti-epileptic medication (AEM) or had stopped treatment. Prior to the implementation of an epilepsy treatment programme in these health zones, this study investigated the perceptions and experiences regarding epilepsy and its treatment amongst community leaders, PWE and/or their families, traditional healers and health professionals.
methodsA total of 14 focus group discussions (FGD) and 39 semi-structured interviews (SSI) were conducted with PWE and/or their family members, community leaders, traditional healers, and health professionals in the Logo and Rethy health zones during February 2-19, 2017.
resultsIn the two health zones, the clinical signs of convulsive epilepsy were recognized by community members. However, a variety of misconceptions about epilepsy were identified including the beliefs that epilepsy is a family-related condition, a contagious disease, is transmitted by insects, saliva or by touching a person of the same sex during seizures, or is caused by evil spirits and witchcraft. The role of traditional healers in spreading these beliefs was revealed. The study also reported sexual abuse on PWE, stigmatisation of PWE and loss of productivity of PWE and their families. Some PWE had been using AEM and traditional treatment but were not convinced about the efficacy of these treatment options. The lack of training of health providers about epilepsy care, financial barriers in obtaining AEM, and the shortage of AEM at primary health facilities were revealed. As remedies, the community requested access to a decentralized center for epilepsy treatment. They also proposed using churches and community health workers as communication channels for information about epilepsy.
conclusionsClinical signs of convulsive epilepsy were recognized by the community in the Logo and Rethy health zones but many misconceptions about epilepsy were identified. A comprehensive community-based epilepsy treatment programme with an affordable uninterrupted AEM supply needs to be established. Such a programme should address stigma, misconceptions, sexual abuse and foster the rehabilitation of PWE to alleviate poverty.
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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.