Erasing Epilepsy Stigma

Abstract

Historically, epilepsy has been ignored by the public health community, despite the fact that there are more than 2 million people with epilepsy in the United States. Although epilepsy affects 1 in 26 people during their lifetime, the general public lacks basic knowledge and holds misperceptions about epilepsy that contribute to its associated stigma. Consequently, people with epilepsy continue to fare poorly, with lower physical, mental, and social well-being. Recently, the 2012 Institute of Medicine (IOM) report Epilepsy Across the Spectrum: Promoting Health and Understanding inspired a new sense of enthusiasm in the epilepsy community that can serve as a catalyst to change public perceptions about epilepsy. To erase stigma, the IOM committee made recommendations in two areas: (a) informing the media and (b) coordinating public awareness. The committee also identified eight key messages about epilepsy that the public should know. Health promotion and education professionals can play a critical role in disseminating these messages to the general public in their local communities and supporting interventions and policies to change the face of epilepsy.