Authors :
Presenting Author: Wajeeha Khalid, MD – Duke University Hospital
Javeria Alvi, FCPS – University of Health Sciences Lahore; Prem Chand, FCPS – Aga Khan University Hospital; Haider Sultan, MSc – University of Health Sciences; Lauren Morris, DO – Duke University Hospital; Noor Sabah, MD – Duke University of Health Sciences; Muhammad Zafar, MD – Duke University Hospital; Julie Hwang, MSc – Duke University of Health Sciences; Sweta Dubey, MD – Duke University of Health Sciences
Rationale:
The awareness, availability, and implementation of seizure action plan in developing countries lack consensus. Our objective is to measure the change in awareness, availability, and implementation (AAI) before and after the introduction of SAP in schools in developing countries.
Methods:
We conducted an interventional pilot study in eight Pakistan schools. SAP was translated into regional languages and distributed and explained to teachers and other employees of these schools (e.g., principals, administrators, etc). A dichotomous survey was designed to measure AAI parameters before and after the introduction of SAP. Forty-one participants from four schools agreed to complete the survey. We have collected pre-intervention surveys. We will follow up with the schools in eight weeks to assess AAI parameters again and the factors affecting its execution. We did a descriptive analysis of the pre-intervention survey findings. We plan to conduct a similar survey in other developing countries in South Asia.Results:
Among 41 participants, 85.4% were teachers (n=35) and 14.6% included other staff members (n=6). 65.90% (n=27) of participants were unaware of SAP document and 34.1% (n=14) were aware of it. 78% said SAP document is not available at their schools (n=32). Among participants 17.1% (n= 7) reported encountering children with seizure, 14.6% (n= 6) reported that the children were given first aid and taken to the hospital during the event of seizure, 17.1% (n= 7) reported that the parents were called, 12.2% (n= 5) reported to adjust posture during seizure, and 9.8% (n= 4) reported that the seizure settled in the child. 78% (n= 32) did not know the components of SAP. According to participants, lack of awareness (73.2%; n=30), understanding (61%; n=25), availability of computers and printers at schools (41.5% n=17), funding to print SAP (41.5%; n=17), and lack of doctor and health care providers to provide SAP to the patients (68.3% n=28) were the major factors reported for unavailability of SAP in schools. If a patient at school has a seizure, 14.6% of the participants know how to administer first aid (n=6) and 14.6% know how to administer emergency medicine (n=6). Among eight schools, only four teachers from two private schools reported implementing SAP. 85.5% of participants agreed that SAP should be available at school (n= 35) and 73.2 % agreed that epilepsy awareness campaigns were conducted in their schools (n=30).Conclusions:
This study highlights the importance of ensuring the safety of children during seizure-type events by providing school staff with SAPs. We hope to use the findings of the current study guidelines when creating programs to help promote and improve the awareness, availability, and implementation of SAP.Funding: NO