Abstracts

Evaluation of the Epilepsy Foundation's Spanish Seizure Recognition and First Aid Certification Training Program

Abstract number : 2.089
Submission category : 17. Public Health
Year : 2024
Submission ID : 257
Source : www.aesnet.org
Presentation date : 12/8/2024 12:00:00 AM
Published date :

Authors :
Author: Victor Solis, BS – Epilepsy Foundation

LaQueisa Haynes-Smith, MS, MCHES – Epilepsy Foundation
Cheryl Houston, BS – Epilepsy Foundation
Brandy Fureman, PhD – Epilepsy Foundation
Presenting Author: Thometta Cozart, M.P.H., M.S. – Epilepsy Foundation

Brian Gilchrist, PhD, MPH – Epilepsy Foundation

Rationale: One out of 10 people worldwide will have a seizure at some point in their lives, and 1 in 26 people will develop epilepsy. Epilepsy is the 4th most common neurological disease in the United States (US) and is characterized by recurring seizures, yet, awareness of seizures and about how to respond to a person during a seizure, called seizure first aid (SFA), is sorely lacking. More than 3.4 million Americans have epilepsy and approximately 710,000 of them are Hispanics. Currently, there are more than 60 million Hispanics living in the US and epilepsy has a huge impact on their quality of life, particularly their physical, social, and psychological well-being. The Epilepsy Foundation developed a seizure response training specifically for the Hispanic cultural general public.

Methods:
Participants of the Spanish Seizure Recognition and First Aid Certification Training program completed an electronically administered pre and post survey in the Spanish language. A non-experimental longitudinal research design with two wave of measurement was used to measure epilepsy and seizure first aid knowledge and self-efficacy to provide first aid for someone who may be having a seizure. Participant completed an online Survey Monkey survey. Paired-sample T-tests were conducted using SPSSv27.




Results: Paired-sample T-tests were conducted to assess the magnitude, direction, and significance of any observed changes of Spanish SFA knowledge and self-efficacy between the pre and posttests among the sample. Both Spanish SFA knowledge (M = -3.42, SD = 3.40, t(362) = -19.19, p = < .001) and SFA self-efficacy (M = -6.55, SD = 7.99, t(208) = -11.86, p = < .001) were significantly improved among the sample between the pre and posttests. Additionally, the majority of the sample reported being highly satisfied with the training (93.5%).
Public Health