Awareness of neurocysticercosis: A study from Northwest India

• Main Authors: Girotra Mohit, Gera Chanchal, Abraham Rtika, Gauba Rajat, Bansal Tino, Kaur Parmdeep, Singh Yashpal, Pandian Jeyaraj
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2011-01-01
• Series: Annals of Indian Academy of Neurology
• Subjects: Attitude; awareness; knowledge; neurocysticercosis
• Online Access: http://www.annalsofian.org/article.asp?issn=0972-2327;year=2011;volume=14;issue=1;spage=27;epage=30;aulast=Girotra
• ISSN: 0972-2327; 1998-3549

<b>Background:</b> Neurocysticercosis (NCC) is a common cause of epilepsy in developing countries. In order to plan and implement prevention programs, it is essential to study the awareness of NCC. <b>Objective:</b> To study the awareness of NCC among patients with NCC and compare with age- and gender-matched controls without NCC. <b>Setting and Design:</b> Hospital based case-control study. <b>Materials and Methods:</b> Two hundred and fourteen subjects were studied (109 NCC patients, and 105 age- and gender-matched controls without NCC). The participants were selected from neurology and medical wards of a tertiary referral hospital in northwest India. They were interviewed by trained medical interns using a questionnaire. <b>Results:</b> 64.2&#x0025; of the NCC patients and 19&#x0025; of control group had heard about NCC (<i>P</i> &lt; 0.001). Knowledge regarding organ affected by NCC in the NCC group was 61.4&#x0025; and in the control group was 80&#x0025; (<i>P</i> = 0.09). Only 12.9&#x0025; of the NCC group and none in the control group identified tape worm as a causative agent for NCC (<i>P</i> = 0.092). Negative effects of NCC on marriage and social life were more often cited by the NCC group but in the control group it was towards education (<i>P</i> = 0.004). <b>Conclusions:</b> The awareness of NCC was poor in both the groups. Educational programs are needed to improve the awareness about NCC among the patients and the public.