Knowledge, attitudes, and practices of final-year healthcare students in low- and middle-income countries regarding epilepsy, dementia, and psychiatric disorders

Purpose: Prevalence of chronic brain disorders, including dementia, epilepsy, and psychiatric disorders, is increasing worldwide. This represents a major challenge for future healthcare professionnals, especially in Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs). This study aims to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of final-year students in medicine, pharmacy, and nursing specialties across three LMIC macro-regions to identify unmet needs and strengthen health education curricula. Methods: A cross-sectional multicentric survey was conducted using a standardized, self-administered questionnaire developed by experts and translated into five languages (French, English, Spanish, Lao and Khmer). Administered through KoboToolBox, the questionnaire explored four domains (knowledge, attitudes, practices, and speciality) in dementia, epilepsy and psychiatric disorders. Scores are expressed as the average percentage of correct answers. Eligible participants were final-year students in medicine, pharmacy, and nursing. Results: A total of 888 students from eight LMICs participated: 39.0% from Southeast Asia, 43.0% from Africa, and 18.0% from South America. Students’ mean age was 24.3 ± 4.7 years. The average percentage of correct answers was 76.1%, with significantly higher scores in psychiatric disorders (p < 0.001). Prior training and awareness were linked to higher KAP scores. Significant disparities were found by region, specialties, and disease, such as persistent misconceptions and stigma. Conclusion: These findings will guide the incorporation of new teaching approaches in future healthcare education of dementia, epilepsy and psychiatric disorders in LMICs.