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. 2020 Jan 6;14:13–21. doi: 10.2147/PPA.S222642

Table 4.

Participant’s Response to Situational Questions on Seizures Related Disorders

Situational Questions (SQ) n %
While teaching, Alex fell to the ground, appeared to lose consciousness, and his body shook. This lasted for approximately one minute before he regained consciousness, sat up, and assured the class that he was okay. Did Alex have a seizure?
 Yes 460 71.9
 No 36 5.6
 I am not sure 144 22.5
If you were asked to report the frequency and duration of seizures in a daily diary for someone you are caring for with a seizure disorder, would you find it beneficial to complete a short training to learn about seizure symptoms before completing the diary?
 Yes 552 86.3
 No 9 1.4
If you were asked to report the seizures shortly after they occur, how long is a reasonable amount of time to wait to be required to report the symptoms accurately?
 1–2 hrs 14 2.2
 10–30 mins 148 23.1
 30 mins to an hour 52 8.1
 Within 10 mins 426 66.6
Elaine is the caregiver of her nephew, Joey, who has seizures. Joey is enrolled in a clinical trial and Elaine is required to report his seizure activity in a daily dairy. In the morning, he complained of a runny nose and watery eyes. In the afternoon, Elaine noticed that Joey was limping but Joey told her that he had bumped his knee while skateboarding. In the evening, Joey’s leg was twitching noticeably for approximately one minute and then stopped.
 0 134 20.9
 1 235 36.7
 2 52 8.1
 3 19 3.0
 4 2 0.3
 I am not sure 79 12.3
You are the parent or caregiver of a child with seizures who is participating in a clinical trial. As part of the trial, you are asked to report when your child has a seizure and the symptoms that they experience. Recording the precise time of the seizure is important to understanding if the medication is effective; however, seizures can range from relatively non-disruptive (twitching of a limb) to very disruptive (falling to the ground and losing consciousness).
 At the end of the day 12 1.9
 I would like an option to do both 232 36.3
 Shortly after the seizures happen 274 42.8
Imagine you are taking part in a clinical trial for seizure medication. You are required to report the frequency, duration, and seizure type that you experience in a daily diary. Which method of reporting would be preferred?
 I would prefer to describe seizures in the diary in my own words to help my doctor understand my specific symptoms 468 73.1
 I would prefer to use the medical terms such as “atonic” or “tonic-clonic” to report seizures in the diary to make sure I am communicating with my doctor clearly 99 15.5
Imagine that your child has a seizure disorder and is participating in a clinical trial for seizure medication. You are asked to report when your child has a seizure in a daily diary. Which of the following are common signs/symptoms of seizures that you might look for?*
 Falling to the ground 565 13
 Staring into space 390 8.9
 Loss of consciousness 1216 28
 Repetitive movements such as walking in a circle or lip smacking 1168 26.9
 Confusion 434 10
 Twitching of a limb such as the arm or leg 470 10.8
 Fear or Anxiety 99 2.3

Notes: %, Percentage of participants. *Participants can provide more than one response; therefore, percentages are presented for the number of total responses.