Demographic factors associated with myopia knowledge, attitude and preventive practices among adults in Ghana: a population-based cross-sectional survey

• Published in: BMC public health 2023-09, Vol.23 (1), p.1-1712, Article 1712
• Main Authors: Osuagwu, Uchechukwu L, Ocansey, Stephen, Ndep, Antor O, Kyeremeh, Sylvester, Ovenseri-Ogbomo, Godwin, Ekpenyong, Bernadine N, Agho, Kingsley E, Ekure, Edgar, Mashige, Khathutshelo Percy, Ogbuehi, Kelechi C, Rasengane, Tuwani, Nkansah, Nana Darkoah, Naidoo, Kovin Shunmugan
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adults; Age; Attitude; Attitudes; Blindness; Care and treatment; Confidence intervals; Cross-sectional studies; Data analysis; Data collection; Demographic aspects; Demographic variables; Demographics; Demography; Diagnosis; Economic aspects; Education; Employment; Gender; Ghana; Health aspects; Knowledge; Labor productivity; Likert scale; Mathematical analysis; Medicine, Preventive; Methods; Myopia; Pilot projects; Population; Prevention; Preventive health services; Preventive practices; Psychological aspects; Questionnaires; Regression analysis; Social aspects; Social networks; Statistical analysis; Sub-Saharan Africa; Surveys; Variance analysis; Visual impairment; Young adults
• ISSN: 1471-2458; 1471-2458
• DOI: 10.1186/s12889-023-16587-7

Purpose Knowledge, positive attitude and good preventive practices are keys to successful myopia control, but information on these is lacking in Africa. This study determined the KAP on myopia in Ghana. Methods This was a population-based cross-sectional survey conducted among adults (aged 18 years and older) living across 16 regions of Ghana between May and October 2021. Data on socio-demographic factors (sex, age, gender, level of education, working status, type of employment, monthly income, and region of residence), respondents' awareness, and knowledge, attitude and preventive practices (KAP) about myopia were collected. Composite and mean scores were calculated from eleven knowledge (total score = 61), eight attitude (48), and nine preventive practice items (33). Differences in mean scores were assessed using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and standardized coefficients ([beta]) with 95% confidence intervals (CI), using multiple linear regression to determine the associations between the dependent (KAP) and demographic variables. Results Of the 1,919 participants, mean age was 37.4 [+ or -] 13.4 years, 42.3% were aged 18-30 years, 52.6% were men, 55.8% had completed tertiary education, and 49.2% had either heard about myopia, or accurately defined myopia as short sightedness. The mean KAP scores were 22.9 [+ or -] 23.7, 33.9 [+ or -] 5.4, and 22.3 [+ or -] 2.8, respectively and varied significantly with many of the demographic variables particularly with age group, region, marital status, and type of employment. Multiple linear regression analyses revealed significant associations between region of residence and knowledge ([beta] =--0.54, 95%CI:-0.87, -0.23, p < 0.001), attitude ([beta] =--0.24, 95%CI:-0.35,-0.14, p < 0.001) and preventive practices ([beta] = 0.07, 95%CI: 0.01, 0.12, p = 0.015). Preventive practices were also associated with type of employment (self-employed vs employee: [beta] = 0.25, 95%CI: 0.15, 4.91, p < 0.05). Knowledge scores were significantly higher in those who lived in the Greater Accra (39.5 [+ or -] 18.5) and Eastern regions (39.1 [+ or -] 17.5) and lower among those who lived in the Upper West region (6.4 [+ or -] 15.6). Government employees and those with tertiary education had significantly higher mean knowledge scores compared with non-government employees ([beta] = 4.56, 95%CI 1.22, 7.89, p = 0.007), and those with primary/no education ([beta] = 18.35, 95%CI: 14.42, 22.27, p < 0.001). Conclusion Ghanaian partici