World Epilepsy Awareness Day is celebrated every year during a certain week with various activities in order to increase public awareness and understanding of epilepsy. This week is important to raise awareness about the challenges faced by individuals with epilepsy, to provide information on the treatment and management of the disease, and to sensitise the community to epilepsy. In addition, various education and information campaigns are organised to eliminate misconceptions and stigma about epilepsy and to support individuals to participate more actively in social life.
Epilepsy is a chronic neurological disease that leads to loss of labour force, disability and reduced quality of life. The main goal of epilepsy treatment is successful attack management and self-management plays a major role in this process. Self-management includes the ability of individuals to manage disease symptoms, treatment, physical and psychosocial outcomes and is an important strategy especially in the fight against chronic diseases. In epilepsy treatment, regular use of medication, reduction of attack triggering factors and psychosocial support can increase the effectiveness of the treatment process. Antiepileptic drugs are generally used for the control of attacks in individuals with epilepsy, but some patients may not be able to control attacks with drugs. Self-management behaviours are an important factor in treatment success; non-compliance with medical treatment may increase the frequency of attacks and negatively affect quality of life. Therefore, improving individuals' self-management skills contributes to successful outcomes in the treatment process. In addition, education and support programmes can increase individuals' self-efficacy, strengthen their compliance with treatment and reduce the frequency of attacks.
Individuals' health-related knowledge, beliefs and self-efficacy levels directly affect their self-management behaviours. Self-efficacy is the individual's belief that he/she can cope with problems, and as this belief increases, treatment success and quality of life improve. Information about epilepsy enables individuals to use their medication regularly and reduce the frequency of attacks. In addition, social support and counselling services improve the quality of life of individuals and have positive effects on the treatment process.
