Dados do Trabalho

Título

Injuries caused by functional seizures: A survey of providers’ perception

Introdução

Functional seizures (FS) commonly produce physical injuries but the stigma that injuries rarely occur during FS persists among providers.

Objetivo

To describe providers’ perception of the occurrence of injuries as a result of functional seizures.

Método

Professionals from the health sector involved in the care of patients with FS answered to an online questionnaire, publicized via email, social media and professional organizations. The closed-ended question “In your opinion, can an adult with FS be injured during an event?” was rated on a 5-point scale (1 = never; 2 = rarely; 3 = occasionally; 4 = often; 5 = always). Kruskal-Wallis H test was used to compare providers’ perception at the alfa level of .05. Data were collected during the first semester of 2022.

Resultados

A total of 515 healthcare providers (mean age of 39.4 ± 11.4 yrs [range 22-75 yrs]; 68% female) answered to the survey: 190 neurologists (37%), 82 psychiatrists (16%), and 243 psychologists (47%). The respondents represented the public and private healthcare sectors from all geographical regions of Brazil. The perception of most neurologists (53%), psychiatrists (59%), and psychologists (58%) was that an adult with FS can occasionally be injured when having a seizure. However, neurologists and psychiatrists tended to perceive the occurrence of injuries as less frequently than psychologists (H(2) = 34.628, p = 0.001, mean rank 215.31 vs 210.91 vs 281.67, respectively): none of psychologists respond “never” to the occurrence of injuries, in contrast to 1% of neurologists and 1% of psychiatrists. Thirty-three percent of neurologists and 30% of psychiatrists responded "rarely" for the occurrence of injuries, compared to 14% of psychologists. The option “often” was selected by 13% of neurologists, 10% of psychiatrists, and 24% psychologists. None of neurologists and psychiatrists respond “always”, contrasting to 4% of psychologists.

Conclusão

A significant percentage of providers underestimate the occurrence of injuries caused by functional seizures.

Palavras-chave

Functional seizures, Wounds and Injuries, Expert opinion