Knowledge, Attitude and Anxiety in Mothers of Children with Epilepsy

Park, So Yeon; Ju, Hyeon Ok

Abstract

PURPOSE
The purpose of this study was to evaluate levels and correlations of epilepsy specific knowledge, attitude and anxiety in mothers of children with epilepsy
METHODS
Participants were 176 mothers of children with epilepsy living in B and Y cities. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, and Pearson correlation coefficients with the SPSS 21.0 program.
RESULTS
Participants scored 57.2 (+/-1.7) out of 100 points on epilepsy-related knowledge; 35.6 (+/-5.0) out of 48 points on attitude toward epilepsy; 58.1 (+/-15.3) out of 85 on anxiety related to a child's epileptic condition. The participants had higher levels of epilepsy-related knowledge if their family monthly income was three million KRW or higher (t=-2.92, p=.004); if there was no side effect from the medication (t=-2.91, p=.004); and if the mothers' perception of the child's health was good (F=6.181, p=.001). There was a positive correlation between knowledge and attitude related to epilepsy (r=.321, p<.001), and a negative correlation between knowledge and anxiety (r=-.257, p=.001).
CONCLUSION
Findings indicate that interventions which reduce mothers' anxiety by providing epilepsy specific knowledge and help to achieve more positive attitudes to better ways of coping with child's disease.