Assessing Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices Towards Glaucoma Management Among Healthcare Workers: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Background: The global prevalence of glaucoma as an irreversible blindness source requires prompt diagnosis together with suitable treatments and knowledgeable patients for successful management. This study is aimed to evaluate the knowledge and attitude toward glaucoma management by healthcare workers at the UNIOSUN Teaching Hospital at Osogbo, Nigeria.

Materials and methods: A descriptive cross-sectional survey was conducted among 212 healthcare workers selected through convenience sampling. The research team used a structured and self-administered questionnaire to gather information which was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics running on SPSS version 25.

Results: Health workers showed a good level of knowledge about glaucoma-related risk factors (81.6%) and a moderate level of knowledge about its management strategies (mean score 71.2%). Knowledge levels varied among these groups based on their professional cadre, where the medical doctors and optometrists exhibited a higher proportion of good knowledge. Attitudes towards glaucoma management emerged to be favourable, with 94.3% realizing the importance of treatment, and 65% displaying an overall positive attitude. However, only 72.2% felt confident in educating patients on the other.

Conclusion: Although participants showed overall acceptable attitudes and knowledge scores, the wide range found across cadres and the modest managerial knowledge do indeed make it imperative for targeted continuing professional education to strengthen tertiary-healthcare management capacity in glaucoma.