Despite significant advancements in the understanding and treatment of epilepsy, the quality of life for persons diagnosed with Epilepsy (PdwE) can still be negatively impacted due to prevalent misconceptions and societal attitudes. This study aimed to investigate the knowledge, misconceptions, and attitudes towards epilepsy in Bahrain. This cross-sectional study involved 1079 participants aged ≥ 18 years living in Bahrain. Data collection occurred between June and December 2023 through an online questionnaire. The questionnaire consisted of four sections: sociodemographic characteristics, sources of information, knowledge about epilepsy, and attitudes toward PdwE. Most participants (1063 out of 1179) were familiar with epilepsy, with social media being the main source of information (56.7%). While 75.6% correctly recognized epilepsy as a nervous system disorder. About 30% of participants believed that body shaking and falling to the ground were the only types of seizures. In terms of attitudes, 47.9% believed that PdwE could achieve high levels of education, but 40% thought they might face job loss due to their condition. Additionally, 27.5% disagreed with the idea of marrying someone with epilepsy or allowing a family member to do so. Being female, young, highly educated, and having a family member with epilepsy were associated with significantly more positive attitudes compared to other groups. The studied sample of the Bahraini public demonstrated a satisfactory level of knowledge about epilepsy. However, they still held certain misconceptions that could impact their attitudes towards PdwE. Community awareness campaigns can address this knowledge gap and reduce epilepsy stigma.

中文翻译：

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巴林王国公众对癫痫诊断患者的误解和态度：一项横断面研究

尽管对癫痫的认识和治疗取得了重大进展，但由于普遍的误解和社会态度，癫痫患者 (PdwE) 的生活质量仍然会受到负面影响。本研究旨在调查巴林人对癫痫的认识、误解和态度。这项横断面研究涉及居住在巴林的 1079 名年龄 ≥ 18 岁的参与者。数据收集发生在 2023 年 6 月至 12 月期间，通过在线调查问卷进行。调查问卷由四个部分组成：社会人口特征、信息来源、癫痫知识以及对 PdwE 的态度。大多数参与者（1179 人中的 1063 人）熟悉癫痫症，社交媒体是主要信息来源（56.7%）。而75.6%的人正确认识到癫痫是一种神经系统疾病。大约 30% 的参与者认为身体摇晃和倒地是癫痫发作的唯一类型。在态度方面，47.9%的人认为PdwE可以获得高水平的教育，但40%的人认为他们可能会因为自己的状况而面临失业。此外，27.5% 的人不同意与癫痫患者结婚或允许家庭成员这样做。与其他群体相比，女性、年轻、受过高等教育、家庭成员患有癫痫的人的态度明显更积极。巴林公众的研究样本显示出令人满意的癫痫知识水平。然而，他们仍然持有某些误解，这可能会影响他们对 PdwE 的态度。社区宣传活动可以解决这一知识差距并减少癫痫耻辱感。