Table 1 Summary of main result by themes and by target group
Themes and issues | Community leaders | PWE /families | Traditional healers | Health professional |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Misconceptions concerning the cause of epilepsy | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
Epilepsy is a family-related condition | ✓ | ✓ | ||
Epilepsy is a contagious disease | ✓ | |||
Epilepsy is caused by bad spirits, witchcraft | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
Stigma | ✓ | ✓ | ||
Epilepsy is associated with stigma within families and communities | ✓ | ✓ | ||
Epilepsy leads to divorce or separation | ✓ | ✓ | ||
PWE are at risk for sexual abuse | ✓ | ✓ | ||
Epilepsy treatment | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Not convinced about efficacy of traditional treatment and AEM | ✓ | ✓ | ||
Need to establish a community-based specialized epilepsy treatment center | ✓ | |||
Financial possibilities limit the uninterrupted intake of AEM | ✓ | ✓ | ||
Consultation fee is barrier to obtain AEM | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
AEM are often not available | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
Need to train health professionals about the management of epilepsy | ✓ | ✓ | ||
Epilepsy awareness | ✓ | ✓ | ||
Clinical signs of convulsive epilepsy were recognized | ✓ | ✓ | ||
Economic status of PWE/Families | ✓ | ✓ | ||
Low economic status of PWE and their families | ✓ | ✓ | ||
PWE are dependent on their families to obtain treatment and care | ✓ | ✓ |