1Senior Instructor, The Aga Khan University School of Nursing and Midwifery
2Instructor, Faculty of Health and Community Studies, NorQuest College
3Associate Dean Post Graduate Medical Education & Associate Professor, PGME, The Aga Khan University
4Associate Professor, Microbiology King Abdul Aziz University Jeddah, KSA
5Instructor, University of Alberta
6Senior Instructor, The Aga Khan University School of Nursing and Midwifery, Karachi, Pakistan
*Corresponding author: Erum Lalwani, Senior Instructor, The Aga Khan University School of Nursing and Midwifery, Ph: 92-346-2345085, E-mail: erum.lalwani@aku.edu
Online published on 17 April, 2015.
Globally, epilepsy is the third most common neurological disorder in primary health care Settings. It has severe implications on women's social domain of life especially in matrimonial affairs. Epileptic women face hurdles, discrimination, and rejection, due to the negative perception and social stigma attached to this disease. The purpose of the current study was to identify the prevalence rate of disclosure of epilepsy prior to marriage, disclosure after marriage, and the manners in which the disease was revealed after Marriage.
A descriptive cross-sectional study included 381 married women with epilepsy, from a tertiary healthcare setting in Karachi, Pakistan. A self-reported questionnaire was administered to collect the data.
The study showed that 64% female disclosed the diagnosis to their prospective spouse and inlaws, at the time of marriage negotiations; whereas, 36% concealed it. Participants who had concealed the epilepsy disorder prior to marriage, majority, 92% (n=128), of these cases were discovered after marriage. It was identified that 60% cases were discovered by their husband due to non-compliance with the medication.
This study concludes that pre-marriage disclosure of epilepsy is a crucial and a complex decision because it carries numerous benefits as well as harms for women in the different domains of life. However, honestly sharing the history of epilepsy at the time of marriage negotiation is more helpful, as epilepsy requires follow-up in the clinic and compliance to medication for a prolonged period. Moreover, disclosure helps to get financial support, physical assistance, and affectionate support.
Epilepsy, Disclosure, Concealment, Marriage negotiation
