Investigation of factors associated with stigma and social support in patients with epilepsy in Turkey: A cross-sectional study

• Published in: Epilepsy & behavior Vol. 128; p. 108572
• Main Authors: Karakaş, Neşe, Sarıtaş, Seyhan Çıtlık, Aktura, Seher Çevik, Karabulutlu, Elanur Yılmaz, Oruç, Fatma Gündüz
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01-03-2022
• Subjects: Cross-Sectional Studies; Epilepsy; Female; Humans; Social Stigma; Social Support; Stigma; Surveys and Questionnaires; Turkey - epidemiology; Turkey; Stigma; Epilepsy; Social support
• ISSN: 1525-5050; 1525-5069
• DOI: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2022.108572

•The result showed a negative correlation between stigma score and social support score in patients with epilepsy.•As a result, we found that some factors (age under 30 years, single status, poor economic status, living with their parents and siblings, seizure frequency, the experience of harmed someone due to an epileptic seizure, and the experience of accident due to seizures) were associated with higher stigma score in patients with epilepsy.•We also found some factors (women, married status, high school and above of educational status, middle-class/good economic status, seizure frequency, the experience of harmed someone due to an epileptic seizure, and the experience of accident due to seizures) were associated with higher Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support total scores.
The purpose of this study was to identify the stigma and multidimensional perceived social support levels of patients with epilepsy, as well as the factors affecting them.
The sample of the study consisted of 115 patients with epilepsy followed up in a university hospital in eastern Turkey. The data of the study were collected using the descriptive information form, the Jacoby Stigma Scale, and the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support. Data analysis was performed using t-test, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), and Pearson correlation coefficient.
The rate of exposure to stigma of the patients in the study was 62.4%. Those under 30 years of age, single, with low economic status, and living with their parents and siblings had higher stigma scale mean scores than the other groups (p = 0.001, p < 0.001, p = 0.001, p = 0.019, respectively). Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support total scores were higher in women and married people (p = 0.020, p = 0.01, respectively). A statistically significant negative moderate correlation was found between the patients' Stigma scale mean values and Multidimensional Perceived Social Support Scale mean values (r = −0.568. p < 0.01).
According to the study’s findings, stigma is prevalent among patients with epilepsy. Increasing social awareness in order to augment social support in patients with epilepsy and providing the patient with positive coping strategies may be effective in reducing stigma in patients with epilepsy.