Tropical Doctor > Volume 38, Number 1 > Pp. 32-33

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Short Reports

Myths and fallacies about epilepsy among residents of a Karachi slum area

Majid Shafiq MBBS MD      Mansoor Tanwir MBBS MD     Asma Tariq MBBS     Ayesha Saleem MBBS     Monaa Zafar MBBS     Ali Khan Khuwaja MBBS FCPS  

Department of Community Health Sciences, Aga Khan University, Karachi 74800, Pakistan

Correspondence to: Majid Shafiq, 156, Male Hostel, Aga Khan University, Stadium Road, Karachi 74800, Pakistan Email: majid.shafiq{at}aku.edu

Misconceptions about epilepsy may explain the considerable stigma accompanying it. We aimed to identify such fallacies through questionnaire-based interviews of 487 adult residents of a slum area in Karachi, Pakistan. Of those interviewed, 25% believed that epilepsy was caused by evil spirits, black magic and envy by others – those without a school education were more likely to hold these views (P < 0.05). Perceived complications included impotence and cancer. Shoe-sniffing was considered a treatment modality by 13%. It appears that misconceptions abound regarding epilepsy's causes, complications and methods of treatment. However, those who had received a school education were less likely to link epilepsy with supernatural phenomena.

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