       Document 0512
 DOCN  M9610512
 TI    Kentuckians' attitudes toward children with epilepsy.
 DT    9601
 AU    Baumann RJ; Wilson JF; Wiese HJ; Department of Neurology, College of
       Medicine, University of; Kentucky, Lexington 40536-0284, USA.
 SO    Epilepsia. 1995 Oct;36(10):1003-8. Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE
       MED/96007296
 AB    We explored Kentuckians' attitudes toward children with epilepsy.
       Questions compared respondents' attitudes about children with epilepsy,
       asthma, hyperactivity, and AIDS. Random digit dialing led to 617
       completed interviews. The key questions asked concerned (a) how a pupil
       with each illness would alter the classroom environment, and (b) how the
       condition would affect the child's quality of life (QOL) at age 21
       years. Respondents used a 0-10 rating scale (0 = worst, 5 = normal, 10 =
       best). A dichotomous variable divided respondents into those who rated
       below and those who rated at or above the norm: 24% predicted a
       deterioration of the classroom environment with the addition of a pupil
       with epilepsy (similar to AIDS at 26%); 41% predicted a lessened QOL at
       age 21 years (a worse rating than either asthma or hyperactivity). We
       created summary indexes, using difference scores between epilepsy
       ratings and ratings for the other conditions: Relative Educational
       Distance (RED) and Relative Quality of Life Distance (RQLD) measures. On
       the RED index, rural and Appalachian respondents showed the greatest
       prejudice toward pupils with epilepsy. Conversely, we noted the greatest
       prejudice in RQLD among urban residents (the best educated group). Our
       data do not support contentions that prejudices against persons with
       epilepsy are disappearing.
 DE    Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome/PSYCHOLOGY  Adult  Age Factors
       Asthma/PSYCHOLOGY  Attention Deficit Disorder with
       Hyperactivity/PSYCHOLOGY  *Attitude to Health  Child  Chronic Disease
       Comparative Study  Educational Status  *Epilepsy/PSYCHOLOGY  Female
       Health Surveys  Human  Kentucky  Male  Prejudice  Probability  Quality
       of Life  Residence Characteristics  Rural Population  Sex Factors
       Support, Non-U.S. Gov't  Telephone  Urban Population  JOURNAL ARTICLE

       SOURCE: National Library of Medicine.  NOTICE: This material may be
       protected by Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.Code).

