Abstracts

Although it affects men and women equally, it is estimated that nearly one million American women of childbearing age have epilepsy. There are many women[apos]s health issues in epilepsy. These issues challenge both the woman with epilepsy and the many health care providers involved in her care. Though the information on women[rsquo]s issues in epilepsy in the literature has grown steeply in recent years, there are far too many recent examples of the lack of knowledge on these important topics. Since pharmacotherapy plays the major role in the treatment of epilepsy, pharmacists serve an important function in the health care of patients with this chronic disease. Pharmacists should take advantage of the opportunity to expand their roles in providing optimal care to their patients with epilepsy, including patient education on women[rsquo]s issues. Our goal of this educational project was to assess pharmacists[rsquo] current knowledge of women[rsquo]s issues in epilepsy using the Knowledge Of Women[rsquo]s Issues and Epilepsy II (KOWIE-II) questionnaire.
This is a cross-sectional, descriptive study using the valid and reliable KOWIE-II questionnaire. This 10-item questionnaire asks questions on pregnancy, hormones, drug interactions with contraceptives, adverse effects, breastfeeding and vitamin K administration. A random sample of community pharmacists, registered in Ohio, were either sent the KOWIE-II survey or completed it prior to a continuing education seminar. Beyond demographic information (age and gender), additional descriptive data was also collected; years in practice, practice setting, and average number of patients with epilepsy that they interact with on a monthly basis.
Of the data collected and analyzed at the time of this abstract submission (n=44), the mean age was 40.7 [plusmn] 12.9, 19 were women and overall they had an average of 9.0 [plusmn] 10.1 years in practice. The average number of patients with epilepsy that they interact with each month was 17.1 [plusmn] 23.8. On the 10-point questionnaire, their average correct score was 6.3 (63%). Most pharmacists (more than 75%) correctly answered 3 of the 5 questions on pregnancy-related issues and epilepsy (folic acid, healthy babies, adherence). The other two pregnancy-related questions (appropriate drug (70.5%) and vitamin K administration (61.4%)) the average score was less impressive. On average, they were aware of the drug interaction between enzyme-inducing AEDs and contraceptives (84% correct). The results on the two adverse effect questions were disparate with more getting the bone question correct (81.8%) than the sexual dysfunction question (27.3%). Many did not know about the relationship between steroid hormones and seizure control (only 20.5% correct) and whether women taking AEDs could safely breastfeed (31.8%).
Though there are some areas where pharmacists are generally knowledgeable about women[apos]s issues in epilepsy, they are still others where educational interventions are clearly needed.