BELIEFS AND ATTITUDES TOWARDS CHILD EPILEPSY: A STRUCTURAL EQUATION MODEL

Abstract

Infantile epilepsy is a chronic neurological disease permeated by negative beliefs and attitudes that strengthen social stigma and discrimination, as well as profoundly limit the routine of the affected child. Therefore, the objective of this study was to analyze the possible influencing factors of the beliefs and attitudes towards childhood epilepsy among users of the Family Health Strategy. 300 subjects participated. Variable associations were significant (p<0.05) between religions with positive beliefs and attitudes in the neurological dimension ({beta}: 1.040; p: 0.044); an increase in educational level had a significant relationship with negative beliefs and attitudes in the environmental/psychophysical dimension ({beta}: -0.723; p: 0.040); having a child was significant for negative beliefs and attitudes in the environmental/psychophysical dimension ({beta}: 1.120; p: 0.043) and for positive beliefs in the metaphysical dimension ({beta}: -0,244; p: 0.028). This research contributed to the identification of factors influencing beliefs and attitudes towards childhood epilepsy existing in the studied Brazilian cultural context with the aim of contributing to a better implementation of actions directed to education in epilepsy.