Cultural beliefs among people with epilepsy or physical impairment in Guinea-Bissau: Differences and similarities.

People living with a disability in sub-Saharan Africa have poorer health outcomes, lower educational successes, less economic participation, and higher levels of poverty than people without disability. Disability-inclusive development promotes the involvement of people with disabilities in programs that reduce these inequalities. This requires a good understanding of how individuals with disability perceive their condition. In this study, we identified cultural beliefs among 31 individuals with epilepsy or physical impairment, known to a community-based rehabilitation service in Guinea-Bissau, using face-to-face interviews. We related these beliefs to religious background and type of disability. We found poor knowledge of and attitudes towards disability among persons with epilepsy and physical impairment. Cultural beliefs were significantly shaped by religious background. Islamic respondents were more positive about their disability as compared to Christians and traditional believers. A better understanding of cultural beliefs among people with disabilities may help to launch and adapt disability-inclusive community-based rehabilitation services.

Understanding of and attitudes towards people with epilepsy among community-based rehabilitation volunteers in Guinea-Bissau.

BACKGROUND: Community-based epilepsy care programs improve access to epilepsy treatment in resource-poor settings. Community volunteers are important to these services. Most studies on familiarity with, understanding of, and attitudes towards people with epilepsy (PWE), however, ignore these volunteers. METHODS: We explored these issues among 15 community volunteers involved in a community-based rehabilitation child epilepsy service recently initiated in Guinea-Bissau using face-to-face interviews. RESULTS: We found that the volunteers had a reasonable understanding of epilepsy, moderate attitudes towards PWE, and a good understanding of difficulties PWE encounter in society. CONCLUSION: Evaluation of understanding and attitudes of community volunteers may be useful to improve low-cost community-based epilepsy programs. A correct understanding of epilepsy among community volunteers may increase effective treatment of and support to children with epilepsy through community-based epilepsy programs.