Advice following a possible first seizure: what do patients attending for EEG remember?

Purpose: This study was designed to assess the knowledge of patients following their first seizure or blackout of unknown cause. We aimed to compare the advice our cohort of patients recalled against that suggested in the current literature.

Background: 5 % of the population will experience a non- febrile seizure in their lifetime. Education and advice for the patient and their family is an important aspect of their care.

Method: After reviewing the recommended guidelines from both the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, a questionnaire was developed. From 1 May 2020 to 1 September 2022, a questionnaire was given to eligible patients attending St. James's Hospital for an electroencephalogram (EEG) following their first possible seizure or blackout of unknown cause. The patients were provided with a list of topics and were asked to select which, if any, were discussed with them.

Results: A total of 50 eligible adults participated in the study. Driving was the topic most frequently recalled as having been discussed at 66 % followed by family education.

Conclusion: It has been recognised that patients remember as little as a fifth of information initially discussed, failing to recall 40-80 % of content within medical encounters and our study supports this. This highlights the need to review the information delivered and how this is achieved as well as using new methods to help increase the retention of this vital information.