Association of knowledge about epilepsy with mood and self-efficacy in Korean people with epilepsy

Purpose: We determined the level of knowledge about epilepsy in Korean people with epilepsy (PWE) and evaluated whether this is associated with self-efficacy, perceived stigma, anxiety, and depressive mood in these patients. Methods: This was a cross-sectional multicenter study. A total of 530 PWE participated from 31 secondary or tertiary hospitals in Korea. Knowledge about epilepsy was assessed using 34 medical items (EKP-M) of the Epilepsy Knowledge Profile-General. Additional questionnaires included the Epilepsy Self-Efficacy Scale (ESES), Stigma Scale, and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Multiple linear regression analyses were used. Results: The mean EKP-M score was 22.2 (SD: 4.1). By univariate analyses, the EKP-M was related to ESES (r = 0.220, p. < 0.001) and HADS-D (r = - 0.154, p. < 0.001) scores but not to the Stigma Scale or HADS-A. By linear regression analyses, after adjusting for the confounding variables, the higher EKP-M scores were independently related to both higher ESES (p. < 0.001) and lower HADS-D scores (p. < 0.05). Conclusion: Korean PWE have a relatively low level of knowledge about their condition. Knowledge about epilepsy is associated with a high level of self-efficacy and less depressive symptoms in affected individuals.