Glaucoma Awareness Among Clients Present At The Outpatient Department Of Intermediate Hospital, Oshakati, Northern Namibia

ABSTRACT

Primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) is the major cause of irreversible blindness

worldwide among black people. Early detection and treatment can prevent

blindness, a consequence of glaucoma. Individuals need to be aware of glaucoma

and seek assessment regularly for early detection and diagnosis of the disease.

Awareness of glaucoma has not been previously documented in a Namibian setting.

The aim of this study was to explore and describe the awareness of glaucoma that

clients have who attended the out patient department (OPD) at the Intermediate

Hospital Oshakati (IHO), Northern Namibia. Objectives of the study were to explore

and describe the awareness of clients regarding glaucoma attending the OPD of IHO

and to identify specific awareness raising strategies on glaucoma as a means to

prevent glaucoma visual impairments. The study was conducted in November 2010

at the OPD of the said hospital. The research tool was an interview guide which was

administered to 400 respondents between the ages of 40-70 years who attended the

OPD. Face to face interview was used and interview guide’s data included sociodemographics

of the respondents, their awareness and knowledge about glaucoma

and the usefulness of effective communication strategies and awareness raising of the

disease. Sixty percent (60.0%) of respondents were female and 40.0% of

respondents were male; 64.8% of respondents were unemployed, 22.3% were

employed and 13.0% were retired. In terms education levels 44.5% of respondents

did not complete primary education, 22.0% completed primary school, 15.0%

completed secondary school, 13.8% did not attend any formal school and only 4.5%

completed an undergraduate degree. The majority of respondents (99.0%) were

aware that glaucoma is a blinding eye condition. None of the respondents knew that

glaucoma is a common eye condition in which fluid pressure inside the eye rises

because of slow fluid drainage from the eye. Awareness of glaucoma was

independent of age, gender, employment status and educational status. Age and

positive family history were mostly identified by respondents as the greatest risk

factor for glaucoma. An overwhelming majority of respondents (99.3%) were aware

that information, education and communication (IEC) materials are useful in

increasing knowledge of glaucoma; all of them believed that effective health

communication is the best strategy to raise glaucoma awareness. The majority of

people are aware that glaucoma is a blinding condition but cannot describe the

condition or mention any associated risk factors thus glaucoma knowledge in this

study population is very low. There is a need to adequately inform and educate

people about their health, especially eye health. An efficient IEC and population

screening strategy needs to be designed to increase the community’s knowledge

about glaucoma so that early diagnosis and treatment of individuals with glaucoma

may be possible.