AMEEJ Outils de lecture

Introduction. Sociocultural representations in Africa remain a limitation in the care, integration and insertion of people living with epilepsy (PWE). African youth is an ideal target for advocacy policies.

Aim. To analyse knowledge about epilepsy and sociocultural considerations and attitudes towards the PWE in the student population of Brazzaville.

Population and methods. A prospective descriptive study was conducted for two months in Marien Ngouabi University of Brazzaville and two accredited private institutions of higher education. It involved 264 students, to whom an approved questionnaire was submitted.

Results. The word "epilepsy" was known to all respondents; their entourage was the main source of information. It was considered frequent in 25.8% and of natural origin in 62.9%. It was designated as severe in 95.5%, contagious in 14%, and curable in 77.3%. The initial treatment was prayer in 48% and traditional medicine in 64.2% of people. The main factors triggering seizures were stress (37.3%), noise (17.5%) and alcohol intake (11.9%). Contact with a PWE was considered harmful in 21.2%. PWE could be educated, practice a leisure activity, sport, and job in respectively 92%, 96.6%, 70.1% and 90.9%. PWE could be married or procreated in 97% and 98.5% respectively. The main actions recommended for a seizure were the removal of all contact (29.5%) and security (20.5%).

Conclusion. Although the sociocultural representations of epilepsy in our subjects are rather positive, there are still popular beliefs in this educated layer that are subject to the stigmatization and social disability of PWE.