THE DEVELOPMENT OF A QUESTIONNAIRE TO ASSESS KNOWLEDGE OF EPILEPSY .1. GENERAL KNOWLEDGE OF EPILEPSY

It is well documented that knowledge is a vital factor in the ability to cope successfully with epilepsy. Misconceptions and deficits in knowledge have implications not only for psychosocial well-being but also for medical compliance. However, at present there is no commonly accepted objective measure of knowledge of epilepsy. The development of the Epilepsy Knowledge Profile—General (E.K.P.—G) is presented in this paper. Fifty-five true/false items (34 medical knowledge items, 21 social knowledge items) were selected by a range of experts in the field of epilepsy. A clinical trial of the questionnaire was then completed by 82 people with epilepsy attending a city centre outpatient clinic. Results indicated that the scale has both good internal reliability and test-retest reliability. Also the range of scores indicates that it is sensitive to differences in knowledge. Potential uses of the questionnaire are discussed. © 1993, Baillière Tindall. All rights reserved.