Bereket Duko, Getinet Ayano and Melkamu Agidew
Background: Fear and misunderstanding of epilepsy and alcoholism might lead to negative attitude, poor health seeking behaviors and social stigma resulting social discrimination. The main aim of this study was to assess perception, attitude and associated factors of alcoholism and epilepsy among residents of Hawassa city, South Ethiopia.
Methods: Community based cross sectional study was conducted in September 2014. The study participants were selected by using multistage sampling method and allocated to selected villages proportionally to their estimated number of households. Data was collected by using structured, pre-tested and interviewer administered questionnaire and analysis was by SPSS version 20.
Results: 51.08% and 58% of respondents have good perception about epilepsy and depression respectively. Age [AOR=3.97, 95% CI=(1.87-8.40)], income [AOR=2.58, CI=(1.54-4.34)], information from mass media [AOR=1.94, CI=(1.44-2.63)], information from religious institutions [AOR=0.57, CI=(0.40-0.82)] and information from health institutions [AOR=1.73, CI=(1.15-2.2.60)] for epilepsy, age [AOR=6.02, 95%CI=(2.76-13.15)] and income [AOR= 2.93, CI=(1.71-5.02)] were significant predictors of perceptions and , perception [AOR=3.32, CI=(2.44.-4.52)] for alcoholism, income[AOR=2.24, CI=(1.23-4.05)], information from health institution [AOR=1.56, CI=(1.07-2.41] and perception [AOR=1.45, CI=(1.04.-2.01)] for epilepsy and were found to be significant predictors of attitude.
Conclusion: Educating people about mental disorders by using mass media and health institutions and working with religious institutions is vital.