STIGMATIZATION OF CHILDREN WITH EPILEPSY

Epilepsija je medicinska dijagnoza koju obilježava nekontrolirani rad mozga pri čemu dolazi do preosjetljivosti stanica, te izbijanja elektroničkih impulsa i posljedičnih napadaja. Sam napadaj može izazvati grčenje mišića, poremećaje osjetila (vid, njuh, sluh), poremećaj motorike, ponašanja, često i poremećaj svijesti (4). Neki bolesnici mogu predosjetiti sam napadaj, odnosno imaju auru, dok drugi to ne mogu. Zadaće medicinske sestre u zbrinjavanju djece oboljele od epilepsije odnose se na pravovremeno reagiranje i pružanje adekvatne pomoći djetetu za vrijeme epileptičkog napadaja, nadziranje i promatranje karakteristika samog napadaja, kontrolu redovitog uzimanja antiepileptika, pomoć u pronalasku mogućih čimbenika koji mogu utjecati na nastajanje epileptičkog napadaja, edukaciju oboljele djece, njihovih roditelja i podizanje društvene informiranosti da bi se smanjila stigmatizacija oboljelih, te poticanje pozitivnog stava oboljelog prema svojoj bolesti. Cilj istraživačkog rada je prikazati znanje i stavove studenata Sveučilišta u Rijeci prema djeci oboljeloj od epilepsije, te istražiti koliko su oboljeli od epilepsije stigmatizirani od strane studenata. Metoda ispitivanja studenata bila je anonimni anketni upitnik „Croatian Epilepsy Questionair-12 koji se proveo na studentima Sveučilišta u Rijeci. Rezultati istraživanja pokazali su da studenti Sveučilišta u Rijeci ne stigmatiziraju djecu oboljelu od epilepsije, da su studenti Fakulteta zdravstvenih studija i Medicinskog fakulteta skloniji pružanju pomoći oboljelima za vrijeme epileptičkog napadaja i da je 50% ispitanika spremno biti u bliskom srodstvu s oboljelom osobom od epilepsije.Epilepsy is a medical diagnosis that is characterized by uncontrolled brain function, resulting in cell overestimation, and outbreaks of electronic impulses and consequent seizures. The attack itself can cause muscle cramps, sensory disturbances (vision, fevers, hearing), motor disorder, behavioral disorder and often disturbance of consciousness (4). Some patients may experience a seizure or have an aura, while others can not. Nursing tasks for the treatment of children suffering from epilepsy relate to timely response and adequate support to the child during epileptic seizures, monitoring and observation of seizure characteristics, control of regular use of antiepileptics, assistance in finding potential factors that may affect the onset of epileptic seizures, education of children and their parents, and rising social awareness to reduce the stigmatization of the affected and to encourage a positive attitude towards the illness of the patient. The aim of the research work is to present the knowledge and attitudes of students at the University of Rijeka towards children suffering from epilepsy and to investigate how many patients with epilepsy are stigmatized by students. The method of questioning the students was an anonymous questionnaire "Croatian Epilepsy Questionair-12", which was conducted at the University of Rijeka. The results of the research have shown that the students of the University of Rijeka do not stigmatize children suffering from epilepsy, that the students of the Faculty of Health Sciences and the Faculty of Medicine are more inclined to assist the patient during the epileptic seizures and that 50% of the respondents are willing to be in close affinity with the person suffering from epilepsy