Table 3.
Frequency of belief in omens and superstitions explored in the study. A detailed list of omens and superstitions is provided in the Supplementary Appendix.
| No. | Epilepsy (n = 183) | PD (n = 124) | MS (n = 133) | HC (n = 113) | Test and p value | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Meaning ascribed to omens (n, %) | ||||||
| O1a | Positive | 48 (26.2) | 15 (12.1) | 17 (12.8) | 35 (31) | 20.609, p = 0.001* |
| Negative | 4 (2.2) | 3 (2.4) | 2 (1.5) | 0 (0) | ||
| None | 130 (71) | 92 (74.2) | 109 (82) | 77 (68.1) | ||
| Missing | 1 (0.5) | 14 (11.3) | 5 (3.8) | 1 (0.9) | ||
| O2 | Positive | 42 (23) | 19 (15.3) | 22 (16.5) | 23 (20.4) | 10.874, p = 0.092 |
| Negative | 31 (16.9) | 12 (9.7) | 11 (8.3) | 11 (9.7) | ||
| None | 109 (59.6) | 81 (65.3) | 98 (73.7) | 78 (69) | ||
| Missing | 1 (0.5) | 12 (9.7) | 2 (1.5) | 1 (0.9) | ||
| O3a | Positive | 29 (15.8) | 8 (6.5) | 15 (11.3) | 13 (11.5) | 20.196, p = 0.002* |
| Negative | 16 (8.7) | 1 (0.8) | 5 (3.8) | 1 (0.9) | ||
| None | 136 (74.3) | 100 (80.6) | 109 (82) | 98 (86.7) | ||
| Missing | 2 (1.1) | 15 (12.1) | 4 (3) | 1 (0.9) | ||
| O4a | Positive | 56 (30.6) | 13 (10.5) | 20 (15) | 13 (11.5) | 29.648, p < 0.001** |
| Negative | 6 (3.3) | 2 (1.6) | 3 (2.3) | 0 (0) | ||
| None | 117 (63.9) | 95 (76.6) | 105 (78.9) | 99 (87.6) | ||
| Missing | 4 (2.2) | 14 (11.3) | 5 (3.8) | 1 (0.9) | ||
| O5a | Positive | 5 (2.7) | 4 (3.2) | 2 (1.5) | 1 (0.9) | 12.312, p = 0.045* |
| Negative | 79 (43.2) | 33 (26.6) | 37 (27.8) | 40 (35.4) | ||
| None | 97 (53) | 77 (62.1) | 90 (67.7) | 71 (62.8) | ||
| Missing | 2 (1.1) | 10 (8.1) | 4 (3) | 1 (0.9) | ||
| O6a | Positive | 2 (1.1) | 0 (0) | 1 (0.8) | 0 (0) | 14.444, p = 0.009* |
| Negative | 77 (42.1) | 26 (21) | 44 (33.1) | 40 (35.4) | ||
| None | 99 (54.1) | 85 (68.5) | 86 (64.7) | 73 (64.6) | ||
| Missing | 5 (2.7) | 13 (10.5) | 2 (1.5) | 0 (0) | ||
| O7a | Positive | 4 (2.2) | 1 (0.8) | 1 (0.8) | 0 (0) | 19.755, p = 0.002* |
| Negative | 79 (43.2) | 23 (18.5) | 46 (34.6) | 39 (34.5) | ||
| None | 97 (53) | 86 (69.4) | 84 (63.2) | 74 (65.5) | ||
| Missing | 3 (1.6) | 14 (11.3) | 2 (1.5) | 0 (0) | ||
| O8a | Positive | 8 (4.4) | 4 (3.2) | 1 (0.8) | 2 (1.8) | 6.351, p = 0.380 |
| Negative | 66 (36.1) | 35 (28.2) | 42 (31.6) | 34 (30.1) | ||
| None | 107 (58.5) | 74 (59.7) | 87 (65.4) | 77 (68.1) | ||
| Missing | 2 (1.1) | 11 (8.9) | 3 (2.3) | 0 (0) | ||
| O9a | Positive | 6 (3.3) | 1 (0.8) | 2 (1.5) | 1 (0.9) | 5.275, p = 0.513 |
| Negative | 64 (35) | 35 (28.2) | 47 (35.3) | 35 (31) | ||
| None | 105 (57.4) | 80 (64.5) | 81 (60.9) | 77 (68.1) | ||
| Missing | 8 (4.4) | 8 (6.5) | 3 (2.3) | 0 (0) | ||
| Belief in superstitious statements (n, %) | ||||||
| S1 | Yes | 56 (30.6) | 12 (9.7) | 33 (24.8) | 26 (23) | 16.344, p = 0.001* |
| No | 123 (67.2) | 100 (80.6) | 95 (71.4) | 86 (76.1) | ||
| Missing | 4 (2.2) | 12 (9.7) | 5 (3.8) | 1 (0.9) | ||
| S2 | Yes | 52 (28.4) | 33 (26.6) | 36 (27.1) | 29 (25.7) | 0.419, p = 0.936 |
| No | 127 (69.4) | 83 (66.9) | 94 (70.7) | 84 (74.3) | ||
| Missing | 4 (2.2) | 8 (6.5) | 3 (2.3) | 0 (0) | ||
| S3 | Yes | 68 (37.2) | 34 (27.4) | 49 (36.8) | 35 (31) | 2.875, p = 0.411 |
| No | 114 (62.3) | 80 (64.5) | 82 (61.7) | 78 (69) | ||
| Missing | 1 (0.5) | 10 (8.1) | 2 (1.5) | 0 (0) | ||
| S4 | Yes | 53 (29) | 15 (12.1) | 25 (18.8) | 19 (16.8) | 13.046, p = 0.005* |
| No | 128 (69.9) | 98 (79) | 105 (78.9) | 94 (83.2) | ||
| Missing | 2 (1.1) | 11 (8.9) | 3 (2.3) | 0 (0) | ||
| S5 | Yes | 67 (36.6) | 19 (15.3) | 34 (25.6) | 26 (23) | 16.043, p = 0.001* |
| No | 114 (62.3) | 94 (75.8) | 96 (72.2) | 87 (77) | ||
| Missing | 2 (1.1) | 11 (8.9) | 3 (2.3) | 0 (0) | ||
| S6 | Yes | 26 (14.2) | 7 (5.6) | 15 (11.3) | 8 (7.1) | 7.065, p = 0.070 |
| No | 153 (83.6) | 108 (87.1) | 115 (86.5) | 105 (92.9) | ||
| Missing | 4 (2.2) | 9 (7.3) | 3 (2.3) | 0 (0) | ||
| S7 | Yes | 13 (7.1) | 1 (0.8) | 5 (3.8) | 9 (8) | 7.894, p = 0.048* |
| No | 167 (91.3) | 111 (89.5) | 125 (94) | 104 (92) | ||
| Missing | 3 (1.6) | 12 (9.7) | 3 (2.3) | 0 (0) | ||
| S8 | Yes | 48 (26.2) | 13 (10.5) | 31 (23.3) | 34 (30.1) | 13.554, p = 0.004* |
| No | 131 (71.6) | 102 (82.3) | 100 (75.2) | 78 (69) | ||
| Missing | 4 (2.2) | 9 (7.3) | 2 (1.5) | 1 (0.9) | ||
| S9 | Yes | 26 (14.2) | 4 (3.2) | 11 (8.3) | 18 (15.9) | 12.447, p = 0.006* |
| No | 154 (84.2) | 109 (87.9) | 120 (90.2) | 94 (83.2) | ||
| Missing | 3 (1.6) | 11 (8.9) | 2 (1.5) | 1 (0.9) | ||
| S10 | Yes | 28 (15.3) | 6 (4.8) | 17 (12.8) | 28 (24.8) | 17.546, p = 0.001* |
| No | 151 (82.5) | 106 (85.5) | 113 (85) | 84 (74.3) | ||
| Missing | 4 (2.2) | 12 (9.7) | 3 (2.3) | 1 (0.9) | ||
| S11 | Yes | 49 (26.8) | 13 (10.5) | 31 (23.3) | 22 (19.5) | 11.073, p = 0.011* |
| No | 133 (72.7) | 102 (82.3) | 98 (73.7) | 91 (80.5) | ||
| Missing | 1 (0.5) | 9 (7.3) | 4 (3) | 0 (0) | ||
| S12 | Yes | 23 (12.6) | 1 (0.8) | 12 (9) | 7 (6.2) | 13.763, p = 0.003* |
| No | 158 (86.3) | 110 (88.7) | 117 (88) | 106 (93.8) | ||
| Missing | 2 (1.1) | 13 (10.5) | 4 (3) | 0 (0) | ||
| S13 | Yes | 73 (39.9) | 26 (21) | 37 (27.8) | 39 (34.5) | 11.364, p = 0.010* |
| No | 107 (58.5) | 88 (71) | 93 (69.9) | 74 (65.5) | ||
| Missing | 3 (1.6) | 10 (8.1) | 3 (2.3) | 0 (0) | ||
| S14 | Yes | 56 (30.6) | 15 (12.1) | 35 (26.3) | 20 (17.7) | 16.105, p = 0.001* |
| No | 124 (67.8) | 101 (81.5) | 94 (70.7) | 93 (82.3) | ||
| Missing | 3 (1.6) | 8 (6.5) | 4 (3) | 0 (0) | ||
| S15 | Yes | 73 (39.9) | 25 (20.2) | 47 (35.3) | 30 (26.5) | 13.975, p = 0.003* |
| No | 105 (57.4) | 89 (71.8) | 84 (63.2) | 82 (72.6) | ||
| Missing | 5 (2.7) | 10 (8.1) | 2 (1.5) | 1 (0.9) | ||
| S16 | Yes | 60 (32.8) | 23 (18.5) | 51 (38.3) | 26 (23) | 13.131, p = 0.004* |
| No | 120 (65.6) | 88 (71) | 80 (60.2) | 87 (77) | ||
| Missing | 3 (1.6) | 13 (10.5) | 2 (1.5) | 0 (0) | ||
| S17 | Yes | 61 (33.3) | 18 (14.5) | 39 (29.3) | 44 (38.9) | 16.264, p = 0.001 |
| No | 118 (64.5) | 95 (76.6) | 91 (68.4) | 69 (61.1) | ||
| Missing | 4 (2.2) | 11 (8.9) | 3 (2.3) | 0 (0) | ||
| S18 | Yes | 61 (33.3) | 10 (8.1) | 32 (24.1) | 37 (32.7) | 26.030, p < 0.001* |
| No | 118 (64.5) | 103 (83.1) | 98 (73.7) | 76 (67.3) | ||
| Missing | 4 (2.2) | 11 (8.9) | 3 (2.3) | 0 (0) | ||
HCs, healthy controls; MS, multiple sclerosis; O, omen; PD, Parkinson’s disease; S, superstition; aresults of Monte Carlo test are presented, *p < 0.05, **p < 0.001.