This survey is to enable you to help us identify elements in a Body of Knowledge that are important for training primary health care providers including general practice physicians but also primary health care nurses, pharmacists and community health workers and inclusion in the primary care epilepsy educational curriculum.
Demographic information

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1. Select the name of the country in which you live and work

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2. Which of the following best describes your profession?

Opinion section
Please rate the importance of each of the items listed below, each representing a competency:

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3. Diagnosis:

  Extremely important Very important Somewhat important Slightly important Not at all important
Define what is a seizure and epilepsy (including acute symptomatic (provoked) and unprovoked seizures; status epilepticus).
Demonstrate working knowledge of the main causes of acute symptomatic (provoked) seizures in children (including febrile seizures) and adults.
Demonstrate working knowledge of the main causes of focal and generalized epilepsies in children and adults [e.g., infectious (e.g., parasitic, bacterial, viral),  structural  (e.g., birth insults, trauma, stroke, tumors), metabolic (e.g., hypoglycemia) and genetic causes].
Identify and describe semiology (clinical features) of epileptic seizures including motor seizures (e.g., tonic clonic, myoclonic, tonic, etc) and non-motor seizures (e.g., absence , focal with impaired awareness) and focal and generalized seizures using standardized ILAE terminology and classification systems.
Recognize common seizure mimics (e.g., night terrors, breath-holding spells, psychogenic nonepileptic seizures, syncope, migraine, cardiac disorders).
Demonstrate working knowledge of relevant aspects of the clinical examination (systemic and neurological)  in newly diagnosed seizures and epilepsy.
Decide which initial lab tests should be ordered in patients with epilepsy or recurrent seizures (e.g., blood glucose, calcium, electrolytes, CT, MRI, EEG, EKG).
Demonstrate working knowledge of implications of test results and pathways to care according to regional setting.

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4. Counseling

  Extremely important Very important Somewhat important Slightly important Not at all important
Understand and address culturally appropriate aspects and consequences of the diagnosis of epilepsy, including stigma.
Provide culturally appropriate  guidance on specific issues related to epilepsy and quality of life (e.g., schooling, marriage, work, sleep, driving, alcohol, self-management, first aid, emergency medical care).
Communicate information about the causes and consequences (e.g., misconceptions, harmful practices such as witchcraft, blood-letting; preventive aspects; accidents, SUDEP etc) of the specific type of epilepsy to patient, family and community .
Counsel women with epilepsy of childbearing age about the implications and management of epilepsy (e.g., pregnancy, breast feeding and use of contraception).
Demonstrate working knowledge regarding issues related to elderly with epilepsy (e.g,  comorbidities and drug interactions).
Provide counseling specific to children with epilepsy and their parents (e.g., cognitive function, parenting etc).
Communicate to patients and carers the diagnosis of non-epileptic events and the need for different treatment.

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5. Pharmacological treatment

  Extremely important Very important Somewhat important Slightly important Not at all important
Demonstrate working knowledge about common antiseizure medications (including indications by seizure type, common and serious adverse effects and interactions).
Recommend appropriate therapy based on epilepsy presentation in adults, children, elderly and women of child-bearing age.
Implement appropriate management strategies for the main causes of epilepsy according to local/regional setting (e.g. infective, metabolic and toxic causes, etc).
Identify patients who are drug resistant according to the current ILAE definition.
Demonstrate knowledge of when patients are in remission.
Demonstrate the ability to provide initial management of patients with uncontrolled seizures. 

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6. Referral
Demonstrate working knowledge about management of patient referral to a higher level of care

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7. Emergencies

  Extremely important Very important Somewhat important Slightly important Not at all important
Demonstrate the ability to implement emergency treatment plans (e.g., for status epilepticus, injuries and intoxication and serious adverse effects due to medications) for children and adults in and outside the hospital setting.
Demonstrate the ability to manage focal and generalized convulsive status epilepticus in children and adults .

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8. Comorbidities

  Extremely important Very important Somewhat important Slightly important Not at all important
Demonstrate the ability to recognize and provide initial management of common psychiatric and cognitive comorbidities in accordance with the WHO mhGAP .
Demonstrate the ability to recognize and provide initial management of common somatic multi-morbidities.

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9. Is there a competency missing that you think is relevant for an appropriate level of epilepsy patients at the primary level of care?

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10. Do you have an epilepsy education program for primary health care in your country?

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