Community-based Health Education Program Research Articles

The prevalence of risk factors for non-communicable diseases among patients attending outpatient department of tertiary care centre, Bengaluru: A cross-sectional study

Introduction: Worldwide, 74% of all deaths, or 41 million/year, are caused by non-communicable diseases (NCDs). In India, 65% of fatalities are caused by NCDs. NCDs are caused by risk factors connected to lifestyle, such as bad eating habits, inactivity and problematic alcohol and cigarette use. In light of this, the present study was conducted to determine the prevalence of NCD risk factors among patients utilising a Bengaluru tertiary care facility. Materials and Methods: Patients at a tertiary care centre in Bengaluru made up the 480 participants in this cross-sectional study. After receiving consent, a semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect the data. SPSS software version 25 was used to evaluate the data once it had been entered into Microsoft Excel. As a test of significance, the Chi-square test was applied. Results: Participants in the study had an average age of 43.6 ± 14.6 years. The prevalence of a sedentary lifestyle was 90.6%, followed by physical inactivity at 68.3%, and obesity at 11.5%. Risk factors such as physical inactivity, waist-hip ratio and obesity were significantly associated with the age group. Conclusion: By implementing lifestyle changes and undertaking community-based health education programs, it should be possible to counteract the rise in the prevalence of risk factors for non-communicable illnesses.

The effect of community-based health education programs on health literacy in severely impoverished counties in Southwestern China: Results from a quasi-experimental design.

A national health education program in impoverished counties to promote health literacy among rural populations was released by the Chinese government in 2018. Under this nationwide campaign, an integrated health education program was implemented in Yunnan province, which included additional culturally sensitive educational components for the severely impoverished prefectures. This study examined the differential effects of the health education program models on health literacy outcomes among residents in poverty-stricken areas. A quasi-experimental design was applied with two arms that included surveys at baseline (in October 2019) and endline (in June 2021) to collect a range of individual-level health information, including the Chinese Resident Health Literacy Scale. The intervention group received the national health education program with the additional Yunnan specific program; the control group received only the national program. Respondents were recruited via a multi-stage stratified sampling, including 641 participants at baseline (261 from the intervention sites and 380 from the control sites) and 693 participants at endline (288 from the intervention sites and 405 from the control sites). Chi-square and logistic regression analyses were performed to examine the association between program intervention and health literacy outcomes. The overall health literacy levels were low (1.87%) at baseline, and there was no statistically significant difference between two groups (1.92 vs. 1.84%, P = 1.000). A significant increase (from 1.87 to 11.11%, P < 0.001) in the health literacy level was observed at endline in both groups. The magnitude of increase was significantly greater in the intervention group relative to the control group (17.71 vs. 6.42%, P < 0.001). Adjusting for the confounding factors of individual and household characteristics, results from multivariate logistic regression revealed that the odds of having adequate health literacy among participants who received both the National Program and the Yunnan Program were 3.92 times higher than those who only received the National Program (95% CI: 2.10-7.33). The findings highlighted the importance of incorporating non-verbal visual aids and culturally-sensitive media tools in health literacy education to address healthy lifestyle and the living contexts of the populations in poverty-stricken areas.

Impact of COVID-19 on mental health of adolescents: A theoretical perspective

This theoretical paper examines the potential impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of adolescents. The pandemic has brought about unprecedented changes in daily life and led to increased levels of anxiety and depression among adolescents. The paper explores potential long-term effects, including social anxiety, avoidant personality traits, PTSD, and other trauma-related disorders. Strategies for prevention and treatment of mental health problems during and after the pandemic are discussed, including community-based approaches and mental health education programs. The paper draws on studies by Loades et al. (2020), Xiong et al. (2020), Patrick et al. (2021), and Lee et al. (2020) to provide insights into the impact of the pandemic on adolescent mental health.

IF THEY BUILD IT, THEY WILL COME: ENGAGING OLDER AFRICAN AMERICANS IN EDUCATION AND RESEARCH

Abstract Engaging African Americans in health education and research is a mechanism for addressing health disparities and achieving health equity. The science of engagement and retention requires strong community partnerships, authentic leadership, and educational opportunities for students and the broader community. In this presentation, Karen Lincoln will discuss how findings from her research on health and mental health disparities laid the foundation for her community-based health education program and public scholarship. She will highlight Advocates for African American Elders (AAAE), the health education program that she founded and directs. AAAE provides culturally competent health education for older African Americans throughout Los Angeles County and has become a hub for her research, training and mentoring.

Knowledge, attitude, and practice of Nepalese residents in the prevention and control of COVID-19: A cross-sectional web-based survey.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has caused a global public health crisis. Preventive measures to tackle the deadly virus are influenced by people's knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) toward COVID-19. This study aimed to assess the level of knowledge, attitude, and practice toward COVID-19 among Nepalese residents in Nepal. A web-based cross-sectional survey was conducted among 755 Nepalese residents across all seven provinces of Nepal. The questionnaire used to determine the KAP of the participants was derived from a previous study conducted in Nepal. Descriptive analysis was done to identify the distribution of socio-economic and demographic characteristics of participants. Factors associated with residents' KAP regarding COVID-19 were examined using Chi-square tests at the significance level of 0.05. The mean age of the participants was 24.6 years. At the time of data collection, 8.2% of the participants had their families in isolation or quarantine center. In this study, 76.4%, 58.0%, and 63.6% of the participants had a good knowledge level, attitude level, and practice level respectively regarding COVID-19. Occupation and marital status were significantly associated with knowledge, attitude, and practice level. Age was significantly associated with knowledge and attitude level. Those participants who had their family members in quarantine were found to have a good level of preventive practice. The knowledge-attitude (rka= 0.184, p<0.001), attitude-practice (rap=0.125, p<0.001) and knowledge-practice (rkp= 0.07, p<0.05) were positively correlated in this study. This study showed satisfactory awareness regarding COVID-19 among Nepalese residents. Community-based health education programs should be promoted to develop a positive attitude toward healthy practices to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic or any future health crisis.

Public Knowledge and Belief Regarding Antibiotic Use and Antimicrobial Resistance in Qatar

Background: Antibiotics act as a therapeutic weapon in eradicating pathogens. Antibiotics are the most common group of drugs misused for self-medication. This is a global public health concern and is one of the major contributing factors to antibiotic resistance (ABR). Objective: This study aimed to assess the knowledge and beliefs of the public in Qatar regarding appropriate antibiotic use and antimicrobial resistance. Methods: A cross-sectional research design was used to collect the information from the participants based on an adapted questionnaire from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) between September – November 2018. The study enrolled 1000 participants who visited two large emergency departments (ED) of public hospitals in Qatar. Results: The mean knowledge and belief scores were 55.07±15.87 and 66.57±23.13 respectively. 42% of the participants had moderate knowledge regarding antibiotic and antimicrobial resistance. The majority of the participants (64.8%) believed that antibiotics fight against bacteria and viruses. The educational level significantly influences the belief of the participants. Graduates possess a higher belief score of 11.75±12.5 (P=0.001) compared to others. Conclusion: The key findings of this study highlighted the existing gap in knowledge among the public. A community-based health education program should be launched to raise citizen responsibility to use antibiotics judiciously.

Community Preventive Health Education Intervention for Pediatric Iron-Deficiency Anemia in Rural Southeast Nigeria.

Iron-deficiency anemia (IDA) is a global cause of morbidity in children under five, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. In southeast Nigeria, poor dietary intake and caregiver knowledge about childhood anemia are observed; however, there is no consensus on how to best prevent it. This study seeks to test the effectiveness of caregiver education on improving anemia knowledge and dietary prevention strategies and promoting sustainable lifestyle changes to reduce the prevalence of childhood IDA. A questionnaire was administered to the primary caregivers of 41 patients under age five with anemia in southeast Nigeria regarding socioeconomic status (SES), diet diversity, and risk factors for anemia. Caregivers were administered a preeducation questionnaire, poster education on anemia and iron-rich foods, and a posteducation questionnaire. All patients underwent a medical exam to confirm a diagnosis of anemia or anemia-related conditions. Ninety-five percent of patients had moderate diet diversity, but there was no correlation between diet diversity and SES. Barriers to healthier diets were associated with SES. Preeducation scores were not associated with caregivers' education levels; however, posteducation scores were significantly higher in university-educated than technical-trained caregivers. Caregiver-reported self-efficacy increased after the education program. Caregivers' SES was associated with financial and knowledge barriers to a healthier diet but not diet diversity, suggesting that nutritional education could benefit all SES groups. Overall, the education program increased caregivers' anemia knowledge across educational levels. A community-based health education program could improve caregivers' anemia knowledge and self-efficacy in applying this information and potentially reduce this area's pediatric IDA.

Personal caution about some cancer-related lifestyle habits in Northern Saudi Arabia.

The present study aimed at assessing community familiarity with cancer-related lifestyle habits in Northern Saudi Arabia. This descriptive cross-sectional study involved a community-based sample of 442 civilians living in Hail, Northern Saudi Arabia. Data were collected during the period between October and November 2020. Data were randomly collected from different public gathering places regardless of age or sex. Higher nescience percentages were associated with physical inactivity followed by obesity and fast food, representing 328/390 (84%), 311/390 (80%), and 263/390 (67%), respectively. Northern Saudi Arabia has a high negative attitude toward cancer risk factors, necessitating the implementation of community-based health education and cancer awareness programs. Level of education and age have no significant role in the level of cancer awareness.

Role of traditional beliefs in the knowledge and perceptions of mental health and illness amongst rural-dwelling women in western Nigeria.

BackgroundGlobally, the public health importance of mental health has gained significant attention in recent years. In Africa, many traditional belief systems impact the perceptions, attitude and management of mental illness. Women are usually the primary caregivers of mentally ill persons, but they have lower mental health literacy.AimTo assess rural women’s knowledge, perceptions and attitudes regarding mental illnesses and the role of traditional beliefs in their management.SettingEpe Local Government Area of Lagos State, Nigeria.MethodsThis was a cross-sectional study with a total of 295 rural women recruited through a multistage sampling method. A pretested interviewer-administered questionnaire was used to collect data. Summary and inferential statistics were measured using Epi Info version 7. The level of significance was predetermined at 5%.ResultsA total of 253 questionnaires were adequately filled and analysed. Overall, just over one-third (35%) of respondents had good knowledge and only 26% had positive attitudes towards mental health and illness. About 45% reported that mental illness should first be treated in ‘the traditional way’, whilst 47% felt that there was no need for collaboration between orthodox and unorthodox healthcare for mental illness. Sociodemographic variables were significantly associated with knowledge (educational level p = 0.001) and attitude (marital status p = 0.001 and ethnicity p = 0.001).ConclusionRespondents had poor knowledge of and attitude towards mental health, and traditional beliefs played a role in their perception and management of mental illness. We recommend community-based health education programmes to improve knowledge and help-seeking for mental illness amongst rural women.

Urogenital schistosomiasis knowledge, attitudes and practices among the community members in Lindi, Tanzania: A qualitative study

Background: Urogenital schistosomiasis caused by Schistosoma haematobium (S. haematobium), remains a public health problem in Lindi region. Despite twelve rounds of praziquantel preventive chemotherapy. There is a scarcity of information on the factors perpetuating the transmission of S. haematobium in Lindi. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the urogenital schistosomiasis knowledge, attitudes, and practices among the community members in Mtama district in the Lindi region of Tanzania. Methodology: A cross-sectional study employing a qualitative approach was conducted in Mtama, Lindi in May 2021. The respondents were purposively sampled, and a total of 6 Focus Group Discussions (FGDs), 2 in each village were conducted. The FGDs were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analysed thematically to identify emerging themes. Results: Majority of respondents were aware of the endemicity of S. haematobium and the ongoing distribution of praziquantel preventive chemotherapy. Respondents had inadequate knowledge of the disease causation and the role of snails in disease transmission. Also, misconception on the modes of disease transmission was observed. Respondents had undesirable attitudes. They were against regular screening of urogenital schistosomiasis and were into the use of traditional ways of treatment to dodge screening and treatment costs. Respondents exhibited inappropriate water, sanitation, and hygienic practices (WaSH), thus perpetuating disease transmission. Conclusion: Despite the community being aware and knowledgeable of urogenital schistosomiasis, there is inadequate understanding of how the disease is transmitted, the roles of snails in S. haematobium transmission, coupled with undesirable attitudes and inappropriate practices. These potentially compromise the ongoing Government efforts to control the disease in Lindi region. Therefore, there is need to initiate a community-based health education programme targeting behaviour change.

Knowledge of health rights and community participation in primary care

Background/Aims Primary care providers are encouraged to promote community participation in care, so that patients are engaged in health priorities and solutions. This study assessed the level of knowledge regarding health rights and community participation in a town in Mizan-Aman, Ethiopia. Methods A community-based cross-sectional study design was used. A structured questionnaire was administered to 374 community health leaders assessing their knowledge of health rights and the level of community participation in primary care, according to five indicators: leadership, organisation, management, resource mobilisation and needs assessment. Results A total of 326 out of 374 questionnaires were returned. The majority (n=205, 62.9%) had limited knowledge of health rights, while 189 (58%) indicated poor community participation in primary healthcare. There was no significant association between knowledge of health rights and level of community participation. Conclusions Knowledge of health rights is generally lacking in these communities, as is public participation in primary care service planning. A community-based health education programme is needed to raise awareness of patient rights and enhance community participation in primary care.

Poor Trunk Flexibility is Associated with Cardiovascular Risk Factors

Background: Poor flexibility is a predictor of reduced physical activity. The association between trunk flexibility and cardiovascular risk factors (CVRFs) is not well understood. Objective: To identify the prevalence of CVRFs and their association with trunk flexibility in individuals participating in a community-based health education program. Methods: Volunteers (51 men, 48 women) aged 20-85 years old, participants in a community-based health education program in the city of Santo Antônio de Goiás, Brazil, were selected for this study. Anthropometric measures [...]

Bridging Community, History, and Culture in Personal Informatics Tools

A healthy diet and increased physical activity are essential for reducing the prevalence of cardiovascular disease and related deaths, a worldwide public health concern that disproportionately affects Black American communities. Still, Black Americans can face unique challenges meeting dietary and physical activity requirements due to inequities in access and quality of care, environmental and local factors, and difficulties in changing individual health behaviors. Personal informatics and self-tracking tools are one way of increasing awareness of health behaviors to motivate behavior change. However, there are still gaps in knowledge about what encourages different users to engage with personal informatics tools over time, particularly when used in collaborative, community-health settings. This paper contributes a nuanced understanding of fifteen participants' reasons for engaging in an existing community-based health education and behavior change program that combines collaborative self-tracking with culturally relevant content and social engagement to motivate heart-healthy behaviors. We illustrate participants' positive and negative experiences engaging in self-tracking and collaborative tasks during the program. We also discuss how participants envision that integrating technology might support or hinder participant engagement and the work of deploying community-based public health interventions. Finally, we discuss design implications for culturally informed, community-based personal informatics tools that engage Black American's in heart-healthy activities.

Knowledge, attitude and premarital screening practices for sickle cell disease among young unmarried adults in an urban community in Lagos, Nigeria.

Introductionsickle cell disease (SCD) refers to a group of inherited blood disorders that are life-long and affect many people globally. An estimate of 2.3% of the Nigerian population suffer from SCD and about 25% of adults have the sickle cell gene. Premarital screening for sickle cell gene is considered one of the methods of preventing new births of children with SCD among the young adults. The study assessed the knowledge, attitude, willingness to take premarital screening test for SCD and factors influencing knowledge among young unmarried adults in an urban community in Lagos, Nigeria.Methodsthe study was cross-sectional descriptive among 300 respondents who were selected using multistage sampling technique. Data were collected using a pre-tested, interviewer-administered questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS software, version 25. Univariate and bivariate analysis were conducted with level of significance at p ≤ 0.05.Resultsthe mean age of respondents was 21.2± 3.5 years, and most 188 (62.7%) were males. About 139 (46.3%) and 165 (55.0%) of the respondents respectively had good knowledge and positive attitude towards SCD and premarital screening. Only 43% of the respondents knew their haemoglobin phenotype, however, majority (92.4%) were willing to have Hb phenotype test done. Knowledge of SCD and premarital screening was statistically significant with age, level of education and occupation of respondents (p<0.001).Conclusionthis study found less than half of the respondents with good knowledge, about half had positive attitude and poor premarital screening practices of SCD. Therefore, community-based health education and awareness programs on SCD and premarital screening among young adults is recommended.

Participation in a Community-Based Women's Health Education Program and At-Risk Child Development in Rural Kenya: Developmental Screening Questionnaire Results Analysis.

Over 43% of children living in low- and middle-income countries are at risk for developmental delays; however, access to protective interventions in these settings is limited. We evaluated the effect of maternal participation in Chamas for Change (Chamas)-a community-based women's health education program during pregnancy and postpartum-and risk of developmental delay among their children in rural Kenya. We analyzed developmental screening questionnaire (DSQ) data from a cluster randomized controlled trial in Trans Nzoia County, Kenya (ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03187873). Intervention clusters (Chamas) participated in community health volunteer-led, group-based health lessons twice a month during pregnancy and postpartum; controls had monthly home visits (standard of care). We screened all children born during the trial who were alive at 1-year follow-up. We labeled children with any positive item on the DSQ as "at-risk development." We analyzed data using descriptive statistics and multilevel regression models (α=.05); analyses were intention-to-treat using individual-level data. Between November 2017 and March 2018, we enrolled 1,920 pregnant women to participate in the parent trial. At 1-year follow-up, we screened 1,273 (689 intervention, 584 control) children born during the trial with the DSQ. Intervention mothers had lower education levels and higher poverty likelihood scores than controls (P<.001 and P=.007, respectively). The overall rate of at-risk development was 3.5%. Children in Chamas clusters demonstrated significantly lower rates of at-risk development than controls (2.5% vs. 4.8%, P=.025). Adjusted analyses revealed lower odds for at-risk development in the intervention arm (OR=0.50; 95% confidence interval=0.27, 0.94). Maternal participation in a community-based women's health education program was associated with lower rates of at-risk development compared to the standard of care. Overall, rates of at-risk development were lower than expected for this population, warranting further investigation. Chamas may help protect children from developmental delay in rural Kenya and other resource-limited settings.

Effectiveness of community-based health education and home support program to reduce blood pressure among patients with uncontrolled hypertension in Nepal: A cluster-randomized trial.

Hypertension is a major global public health problem. Elevated blood pressure can cause cardiovascular and kidney diseases. We assessed the effectiveness of health education sessions and home support programs in reducing blood pressure among patients with uncontrolled hypertension in a suburban community of Nepal. We conducted a community-based, open-level, parallel-group, cluster randomized controlled trial in Birendranagar municipality of Surkhet, Nepal. We randomly assigned four clusters (wards) into intervention and control arms. We provided four health education sessions, frequent home and usual care for intervention groups over six months. The participants of the control arm received only usual care from health facilities. The primary outcome of this study was the proportion of controlled systolic blood pressure (SBP). The analysis included all participants who completed follow-up at six months. 125 participants were assigned to either the intervention (n = 63) or the control (n = 62) group. Of them, 60 participants in each group completed six months follow-up. The proportion of controlled SBP was significantly higher among the intervention participants compared to the control (58.3% vs. 40%). Odds ratio of this was 2.1 with 95% CI: 1.01-4.35 (p = 0.046) and that of controlled diastolic blood pressure (DBP) was 1.31 (0.63-2.72) (p = 0.600). The mean change (follow-up minus baseline) in SBP was significantly higher in the intervention than in the usual care (-18.7 mmHg vs. -11.2 mmHg, p = 0.041). Such mean change of DBP was also higher in the intervention (-10.95 mmHg vs. -5.53 mmHg, p = 0.065). The knowledge score on hypertension improved by 2.38 (SD 2.4) in the intervention arm, which was significantly different from that of the control group, 0.13 (1.8) (p<0.001). Multiple health education sessions complemented by frequent household visits by health volunteers can effectively improve knowledge on hypertension and reduce blood pressure among uncontrolled hypertensive patients at the community level in Nepal. ClinicalTrial.gov: NCT02981251.

Revitalizing HIV Prevention Programs: Recommendations From Those Most Impacted by HIV in the Deep South.

The incidence of new HIV infections is disproportionately high among Black men who have sex with men (BMSM) in Mississippi. Community-based organizations received funding through the ACCELERATE! initiative to implement interventions aimed at increasing BMSM's access to HIV prevention, treatment and care interventions. We conducted a mixed methods evaluation of the ACCELERATE! initiative to assess its impact. We also explored factors that act as barriers to and facilitators of BMSM's engagement in HIV prevention interventions. Interviews were conducted between July 2018 and February 2020. Thirty-six BMSM and 13 non-grantee key informants who worked in the field of HIV in Mississippi participated. The qualitative data from the interview transcripts was analyzed using an iterative, inductive coding process. We identified 10 key recommendations that were most common across all participants and that were aligned with UNAIDS Global AIDS Strategy strategic priorities. Several recommendations address the reduction of HIV- and LGBT-stigma. Two of the most common recommendations were to increase representation of the target population in health promotion program leadership and to include HIV with other Black health issues in community-based health education programs rather than singling it out. Another recommendation called for programs aimed at addressing underlying factors associated with HIV-risk behaviors, such as mental illness. Our results indicate that HIV education interventions in the Deep South need to be revitalized to enhance their reach and effectiveness.

Efficacy Of A Community-based Physical Activity Program To Reduce Symptom Severity Of Ptsd Among Military Veterans

The benefits of physical activity have been shown to improve physiological and psychological well-being among individuals with mental health issues, including individuals with PTSD. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of a community-based physical activity program with a health education component to reduce symptom severity of PTSD among military veterans. METHODS: Participants with self-reported symptoms of PTSD (n = 5) engaged in a community-based 4-week health education and physical activity program. The PCL-5 was used to assess symptom severity of PTSD. The dependent variables were PCL total score, PCL cluster B, PCL cluster C, PCL cluster D and PCL cluster E. Wilcoxon Signed Rank test was used to analyze differences in symptom severity of PTSD pre and post 4-week intervention. RESULTS: Out of the 5 participants, 4 self-reported a sedentary lifestyle and only 1 reported meeting the ACSM physical activity guidelines. There were statistically significant results at post-data collection for PCL total score (Z = -2.032, p = .042) and Cluster E (Z = -2.032, p = .042). Although significance was being approached, the following were not statistically significant, Cluster B (Z = -1.841, p = .066), Cluster C (Z = -1.857, p = .063), and Cluster D (Z = -1.826, p = .068). CONCLUSION: Researchers concluded that a community-based physical activity program with a health education component may be effective at reducing symptom severity of PTSD among military veterans. It should be noted that researchers conducted the intervention in a group and outdoor setting. There is literature to support that being outdoors and with similar others can influence outcomes. Those variables were not controlled for in the current research study, so it is recommended that future research take those variables into consideration. Researchers also recommend a follow-up study with a larger sample size and a true control group.

Epidemiology of intussusception in infants less than one year of age in Ghana, 2012-2016.

Introductionwe examined the epidemiology, clinical and demographic characteristics of intussusception in Ghanaian infants.Methodsactive sentinel surveillance for pediatric intussusception was conducted at Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in Kumasi and Korle Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra. From March 2012 to December 2016, infants < 1 year of age who met the Brighton Collaboration level 1 diagnostic criteria for intussusception were enrolled. Data were collected through parental interviews and medical records abstraction.Resultsa total of 378 children < 1 year of age were enrolled. Median age at onset of intussusception was 27 weeks; only 12 cases (1%) occurred in infants < 12 weeks while most occurred in infants aged 22-34 weeks. Median time from symptom onset until referral to a tertiary hospital was 2 days (IQR: 1-4 days). Overall, 35% of infants were treated by enema, 33% had surgical reduction and 32% required surgical reduction and bowel resection. Median length of hospital stay was 5 days (IQR: 3-8 days) with most patients (95%) discharged home. Eleven (3%) infants died. Infants undergoing enema reduction were more likely than those treated surgically to present for treatment sooner after symptom onset (median 1 vs 3 days; p < 0.0001) and have shorter hospital stays (median 3 vs 7 days; p < 0.001).ConclusionGhanaian infants had a relatively low case fatality rate due to intussusception, with a substantial proportion of cases treated non-surgically. Early presentation for treatment, possibly enhanced by community-based health education programs and health information from various media platforms during the study period might contribute to both the low fatality rate and high number of successful non-surgical treatments in this population.

ASSESSMENT OF GLAUCOMAAWARENESS AMONG PEOPLE ATTENDING HEALTHCARE REFERRAL CENTRE

Background: Glaucoma is a major public health problem in the India as well as world. Community based surveys reported that only 10% to 50% of people with glaucoma are aware about they have disease. Aim &amp; Objective:The aim of this study to evaluate awareness about different aspect of glaucoma including symptoms, treatment. Methodology: This cross-sectional analytical study was done among people attending the Ophthalmology Out Patient Department at GMERS Medical College and Hospital Gandhinagar. Total 350 students were included in the study. Astructured interview with xed approach was used to collect data. The order of the questions was specied. Questionnaire has been validated by subject experts. Results: Mean age was 38.3 ± 13.8 years. Majority of the study participant were male (60.9%), literate (83.7%) and belonged to class III and above SE class (52.2%). Only 36.0% participants heard about glaucoma. Asymptomatic glaucoma and irreversible nature vision loss was known to 14.2% and 8.8% of participants. Awareness about glaucoma was signicantly low in participants of 21 to 60 year age group, education below secondary, SE class 4 &amp; 5 and laborer. Conclusion:Awareness of glaucoma is very poor in persons attending GMERS medical college, Gandhinagar. There is need for community-based health education programmes to increase the level of awareness and knowledge about glaucoma