Evaluation of physical educators' knowledge about epilepsy

People with epilepsy suffer from a considerable lack of physical activity. In addition, an important problem of epilepsy management is the lack of qualified professionals. In this study we present data from a survey which aimed to assess physical educators' general knowledge about epilepsy. One hundred and thirty four physical educators of both sexes answered a questionnaire. Sixty percent of the professionals believe that a seizure is an abnormal electrical discharge of the brain, 13% that epilepsy is a cerebral chronic disease that can not be cured or controlled, 84% that people having convulsions will not necessarily present epilepsy and 5% that people with epilepsy have difficulties of learning. Questions concerned previous professional experience with epilepsy showed that 61% have seen a seizure and 53% have access to some information about epilepsy. Thus, 28% of professionals have a friend or relative with epilepsy, 14% have a student with epilepsy, and 29% helped someone during seizures. Our findings reveal a lack of physical educators' appropriate knowledge about epilepsy. Improvement of this might contribute to the improvement of epilepsy care/management.

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Vancini,Rodrigo Luiz, Lira,Claudio Andre Barbosa de, Silva,Sergio Gomes da, Scorza,Fúlvio Alexandre, Silva,Antonio Carlos da, Vieira,Douglas, Cavalheiro,Esper Abrão, Arida,Ricardo Mario
Format: Digital revista
Language:English
Published: Academia Brasileira de Neurologia - ABNEURO 2010
Online Access:http://old.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0004-282X2010000300007
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