Awareness of neurocysticercosis: A study from northwest India
Authors
Mohit Girotra
Department of Neurology, Christian Medical College, Ludhiana, Punjab, India
Chanchal Gera
Department of Medicine, Christian Medical College, Ludhiana, Punjab, India
Rtika Abraham
Department of Neurology, Christian Medical College, Ludhiana, Punjab, India
Rajat Gauba
Department of Neurology, Christian Medical College, Ludhiana, Punjab, India
Tino Bansal
Departments of Social and Preventive Medicine and Betty Cowan Research and Innovation Centre, Christian Medical College, Ludhiana, Punjab, India
Parmdeep Kaur
Departments of Social and Preventive Medicine and Betty Cowan Research and Innovation Centre, Christian Medical College, Ludhiana, Punjab, India
Yashpal Singh
Department of Neurology, Christian Medical College, Ludhiana, Punjab, India
Jeyaraj Pandian
Department of Neurology, Christian Medical College, Ludhiana, Punjab, India
Neurocysticercosis (NCC) is a common cause of epilepsy in developing countries. In order to plan and implement prevention programs, it is essential to study the awareness of NCC.
Objective:
To study the awareness of NCC among patients with NCC and compare with age- and gender-matched controls without NCC.
Setting and Design:
Hospital based case–control study.
Materials and Methods:
Two hundred and fourteen subjects were studied (109 NCC patients, and 105 age- and gender-matched controls without NCC). The participants were selected from neurology and medical wards of a tertiary referral hospital in northwest India. They were interviewed by trained medical interns using a questionnaire.
Results:
64.2% of the NCC patients and 19% of control group had heard about NCC (P < 0.001). Knowledge regarding organ affected by NCC in the NCC group was 61.4% and in the control group was 80% (P = 0.09). Only 12.9% of the NCC group and none in the control group identified tape worm as a causative agent for NCC (P = 0.092). Negative effects of NCC on marriage and social life were more often cited by the NCC group but in the control group it was towards education (P = 0.004).
Conclusions:
The awareness of NCC was poor in both the groups. Educational programs are needed to improve the awareness about NCC among the patients and the public.
Keywords: Attitude, awareness, knowledge, neurocysticercosis
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