Objectives: Physicians and complementary alternative medicine (CAM) specialists are not formally educated/
trained on the benefits of exercises for people living with epilepsy (PWE). This study was performed to develop
a consensus-based knowledge items on the benefits of exercises for PWE that physicians and CAM specialists
need to know.
Methods: Knowledge items were collected after an extensive review of the scientific literature and from in-depth
interviewswith key contacts in the domain (6 primary healthcare providers, 4 neurologists, 4 exercise and medicine
specialists, 4 CAM practitioners, 4 researchers who did studies on the benefits of exercise for PWE, and 4
PWE). Items collectedwere reviewed by 12 researcherswho did studies on exercise for PWE. A Delphi technique
was followed among a panel of 50 members to develop the consensus-based core list.
Results: The final consensus-based core list contained 64 items that were grouped into the following categories:
1) general items recommending exercise for PWE, 2) benefits of exercise on prevention of seizures, 3) benefits of
exercise on antiepileptic therapy, 4) benefits of exercise in preventing comorbidities associated with epilepsy,
5) benefits of exercise in improving quality of life of PWE, and 6) psychosocial benefits of exercise for PWE.
Conclusion: This consensus-based core list might guide educators, trainers, or authorities while designing educational
or training courses to increase knowledge of physicians in primary healthcare and CAMspecialists with regard
to the benefits of exercise for PWE. Further investigations are needed to determine if such consensus-based
core list might improve care and wellbeing of PWE.

Title

Epilepsy & Behavior

Publisher

Academic Press

Publisher Country

United States of America

Indexing

Thomson Reuters

Impact Factor

3.2

Publication Type

Online only

Volume

108

Year

2019

Pages

107099