Assessment of awareness of parents about pediatric visual problems by KAP-survey in Thanjavur district- A cross-sectional study

Background:

Globally, the prevalence of blindness among children is estimated to be approximately

one-tenth of that in adults, at around 0.7 per 1000.Even though the prevalence is less

compared to adults, blindness during childhood is high and childhood blindness can be

avoidable with preventive measures, educating parents and early treatment. These are

Some of the reasons why the control of childhood blindness is a forefront priority of the

World Health Organization (WHO). 19 million children around the world are having visual

impairment and 1.4 million Children among them are blind. Studies report that 42.9% to

49.9% of childhood blindness in India is avoidable and remark that the major causes of

avoidable blindness Are refractive errors. VISION 2020 – the right to sight launched by WHO

has included “Control of Childhood Blindness” among its priorities because most of the

causes of childhood blindness are treatable or preventable. Eye health education of

parents and guardians on the need for periodic eye examination and necessary treatment

is an important WHO strategy in developing countries where a good number of people have

poor knowledge of the importance of eye examination and treatment, hence neglecting eye

care for their children. NPCB (National Programme for Control of Blindness) was launched

in India in 1976. Its Main objectives are to reduce the backlog of blindness through

identification and treatment of the blind, develop comprehensive eye care facilities in every

district, develop human resources for providing eye care services, improve the quality of

service and enhance community awareness on eye care, by conducting orientation training

to Government medical and paramedical staff, schoolteachers and community link

workers. The literary rate of Tamil Nadu in 2001 was 73.4%. The literary rate increased by

7% in 2011 (80.09%) as compared to 2001. Even though there is an increase in literary rate

and government program focus on enhancing community awareness on eye care. A study

conducted on assessment of parental awareness on pediatric visual problems in tertiary

eye care hospitals in south India revealed that knowledge of parents about pediatric eye

Disease was of good grade only in 9% of parents and the attitude of parents was positive

only in 17% and their practice in presence of ocular problem in their children was excellent

in 46.5% and good in 26.5%. Hence this study is undertaken to assess the knowledge of

parents about pediatric visual problems, their attitude regarding the need for vision

screening, glasses, and routine ophthalmic evaluation and to assess the practices followed

by parents in presence of ocular problems in their children and pattern of practices

adopted by them to prevent ocular problems in Thanjavur district.

Objective:

To assess the knowledge of parents about various pediatric visual problems.

To assess the attitude of parents regarding the need for vision screening, glasses and

routine ophthalmic evaluation

To assess the practices followed by parents in presence of ocular problems in their children

and the pattern of practices adopted by them to prevent ocular problems.

Study design:

This is an observational study with a duration of 6 months which includes 272 parents of

children below 15 years of age in Thanjavur district. The children will be selected by lottery

method from three schools which include Government, Government aided and Private

school in Thanjavur district. Data will be collected by visiting the children’s houses using a

validated standardized questionnaire after getting proper consent from the parents using

an informed consent form and properly explaining the study through an information sheet.

Parents having children with multiple disabilities/ special needs and Professionals related

to the field of eye health care will be excluded from the study.

Outcome:

The knowledge, attitude and practice of parents regarding pediatric eye problems will be

assessed, analyzed and summarized.

Various patterns of practices followed in Thanjavur district to prevent ocular problems will

be studied.

Results and Discussion:

The results will be statistically analysed and reported.

Keywords:

Pediatric visual problems, Thanjavur district.