Abstract
Epilepsy has been known to humanity for over 3000 years; in ancient times, it was perceived as a supernatural phenomenon, a spiritual phenomenon, or a possession by demons. Research shows that still today, in some cultures, epilepsy is fraught with misconceptions, myths, and magical beliefs. Studies on epilepsy from Arab countries show, among other things, that epilepsy is a stigmatized illness, surrounded by myths and cultural beliefs that view the disease as caused by “jinns” (evil spirits). To date, to the best of our knowledge, the cultural perceptions of epilepsy among Israeli Arabs—the largest minority group in Israel—have never been examined. Thus, this study set out to explore the social construction of stigma ascribed to epilepsy among Israeli Arabs. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 44 Arab Israelis (Muslim, Christian, and Druze). Data were analyzed using thematic content analysis. Initial findings show that the participants acknowledged the stigma ascribed to epilepsy in their communities, which was manifested, among other things, by exclusion and avoidance of people with the disease, and fear of people with epilepsy. However, at the same time, epilepsy was also perceived as a type of mental illness and as stemming from supernatural causes.
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
Interdisciplinary Health Sciences
KEYWORDS
EPILEPSY, STIGMA, ISRAELI ARABS, QUALITATIVE METHODS
