Biomaterial Database

Evaluation of an epilepsy education program for Grade 5 students: a cluster randomized trial. 2007

A L C Martiniuk, and K N Speechley, and M Secco, and M K Campbell, and A Donner

The George Institute for International Health at the University of Sydney, M201 Missenden Road, Camperdown, NSW, Australia. amartiniuk@george.org.au

OBJECTIVE Epilepsy is a common and often highly stigmatized disorder. Several international organizations indicate a need to assess the stigma that exists and to develop and evaluate interventions to dispel myths about epilepsy. METHODS A stratified cluster randomized controlled trial evaluated whether an epilepsy education program (intervention) increases knowledge of and positive attitudes about epilepsy in Grade 5 students (ages 9-11). The study also investigated characteristics of the individuals (gender, language spoken at home, familiarity with epilepsy) and schools (Catholic vs public, size of school, and school level socioeconomic status) that affect epilepsy knowledge and attitudes. We assessed epilepsy knowledge and attitudes at baseline and 1 month following the program using a 33-item questionnaire. RESULTS In total, 24 schools (783 individuals) were cluster randomized. Those in the intervention group had an average 11.8-point increase (95% confidence interval (CI)=11.4-12.5) in knowledge 1 month following the program, compared with the control group increase of 2.2 points (95% CI=1.8-2.6) out of a total of 57 points. For attitudes, the intervention group had a mean increase of 8.15 points (95% CI=4.70-11.60), compared with the control group increase of 1.64 points (95% CI=-0.84-4.42) out of a total of 50 points. The intervention was responsible for 63% of the variation in postprogram epilepsy knowledge and 28% of the variation in postprogram attitudes about epilepsy. CONCLUSIONS The epilepsy education program was associated with a significant increase in epilepsy knowledge and positive attitudes in the intervention group 1 month later compared with the control group.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007722	Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice	Knowledge, attitudes, and associated behaviors which pertain to health-related topics such as PATHOLOGIC PROCESSES or diseases, their prevention, and treatment. This term refers to non-health workers and health workers (HEALTH PERSONNEL).	Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice
D008297	Male		Males
D009864	Ontario	A province of Canada lying between the provinces of Manitoba and Quebec. Its capital is Toronto. It takes its name from Lake Ontario which is said to represent the Iroquois oniatariio, beautiful lake. (From Webster's New Geographical Dictionary, 1988, p892 & Room, Brewer's Dictionary of Names, 1992, p391)
D011795	Surveys and Questionnaires	Collections of data obtained from voluntary subjects. The information usually takes the form of answers to questions, or suggestions.	Community Survey,Nonrespondent,Questionnaire,Questionnaires,Respondent,Survey,Survey Method,Survey Methods,Surveys,Baseline Survey,Community Surveys,Methodology, Survey,Nonrespondents,Questionnaire Design,Randomized Response Technique,Repeated Rounds of Survey,Respondents,Survey Methodology,Baseline Surveys,Design, Questionnaire,Designs, Questionnaire,Methods, Survey,Questionnaire Designs,Questionnaires and Surveys,Randomized Response Techniques,Response Technique, Randomized,Response Techniques, Randomized,Survey, Baseline,Survey, Community,Surveys, Baseline,Surveys, Community,Techniques, Randomized Response
D002648	Child	A person 6 to 12 years of age. An individual 2 to 5 years old is CHILD, PRESCHOOL.	Children
D003627	Data Interpretation, Statistical	Application of statistical procedures to analyze specific observed or assumed facts from a particular study.	Data Analysis, Statistical,Data Interpretations, Statistical,Interpretation, Statistical Data,Statistical Data Analysis,Statistical Data Interpretation,Analyses, Statistical Data,Analysis, Statistical Data,Data Analyses, Statistical,Interpretations, Statistical Data,Statistical Data Analyses,Statistical Data Interpretations
D004827	Epilepsy	A disorder characterized by recurrent episodes of paroxysmal brain dysfunction due to a sudden, disorderly, and excessive neuronal discharge. Epilepsy classification systems are generally based upon: (1) clinical features of the seizure episodes (e.g., motor seizure), (2) etiology (e.g., post-traumatic), (3) anatomic site of seizure origin (e.g., frontal lobe seizure), (4) tendency to spread to other structures in the brain, and (5) temporal patterns (e.g., nocturnal epilepsy). (From Adams et al., Principles of Neurology, 6th ed, p313)	Aura,Awakening Epilepsy,Seizure Disorder,Epilepsy, Cryptogenic,Auras,Cryptogenic Epilepsies,Cryptogenic Epilepsy,Epilepsies,Epilepsies, Cryptogenic,Epilepsy, Awakening,Seizure Disorders
D005260	Female		Females
D005500	Follow-Up Studies	Studies in which individuals or populations are followed to assess the outcome of exposures, procedures, or effects of a characteristic, e.g., occurrence of disease.	Followup Studies,Follow Up Studies,Follow-Up Study,Followup Study,Studies, Follow-Up,Studies, Followup,Study, Follow-Up,Study, Followup
D006266	Health Education	Education that increases the awareness and favorably influences the attitudes and knowledge relating to the improvement of health on a personal or community basis.	Community Health Education,Education, Health,Education, Community Health,Health Education, Community