Knowledge, attitude, and self-care practice regarding glaucoma among hospital workers at a tertiary center in South-South Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: Undetected glaucoma among hospital workers poses a significant risk of preventable vision loss within the healthcare workforce, potentially impacting the delivery of care. The purpose of this study was to assess the medical and non-medical hospital workers’ knowledge, attitude and self-care practice regarding glaucoma. METHODS: In a hospital-based cross-sectional study, a stratified random sample of 401 hospital workers, including 206 (51.4%) medical and 195 (48.6%) non-medical personnel, were administered a structured knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) questionnaire on glaucoma. Differences in glaucoma knowledge among staff cadres were compared using the Chi-square test. The predictors of KAP were analysed using multivariate logistic regression. RESULTS: Glaucoma was defined by respondents as blindness (26.9%), raised intraocular pressure (24.7%), and optic nerve damage (9.5%). Common risk factors identified were hypertension (87.9%), diabetes (86%) and positive family history of glaucoma (80.8%). Only 8.0% believed that early diagnosis and treatment could prevent blindness. Strikingly, 70.1% of hospital workers had never undergone an eye examination. Workers (68.6%) would rather use medications than accept surgery, adding adjunctive modalities like prayers and traditional medicines were reported by 58.9% of the workers. Medical personnel demonstrated greater knowledge of glaucoma (p < .001) and were more likely to accept surgical intervention (p = .003). Good knowledge of glaucoma, positive attitude and good self-care practice were reported by 2.5%, 10.7% and 14.4% of the workers. Secondary level educational was predictive of positive attitude (OR 3.35, 95% CI 1.60-7.03, P= .001), non-medical cadre was predictive of poor glaucoma practice (OR 0.22. 95% CI 0.10-0.48, p<.001) while a visit to the ophthalmologist was predictive of good glaucoma practice (OR 19.92, 95% CI 8.78-42.94, p<.001). CONCLUSION: All hospital personnel should be re-educated about the potential blinding effect of glaucoma. The need for timely, regular, comprehensive glaucoma evaluation and the adoption of early, appropriate management is advocated.