Objective:
To evaluate the level of knowledge about glaucoma in a population randomly selected, so as to correlate with epidemiological and socio-cultural.
Methods:
We conducted a transversal analytical study by means of questionnaires containing general questions about glaucoma, patients participating in a campaign for awareness and prevention of glaucoma.
Results:
Of 200 respondents, 54.5% were female and 45.5% male, mean age 51 years and 11 months. Regarding race, 54% are brown, 29% white and 17% were black. 85% reporting having eye exam at another time. With respect to education, 5% never attended school, 22.5% had studied the first to fourth grade, 15% of 5th to 8th grade, 45% had completed high school and 14.5% higher. When asked, only 32% (64) of patients reported knowing the disease and of these 71.87% (46) claimed to be a pathology that glaucoma has no cure, but control and 48.4% (31) had glaucoma cases in the family. With regard to treatment, among those who knew the disease, 64% (41) patients say how it comes, saying it drops the main form of treatment. Data analysis also concluded that the group of high school education had the highest proportion of respondents who said they knew glaucoma, accounting for 69% of these.
Conclusion:
Corroborating these factors, which consist of barriers to diagnosis and fidelity to treatment, this study examined the actual existence of misinformation from the public about glaucoma, its complications, treatment and methods for diagnosis. The available literature found that patients with less education were more about the ignorance of his condition, this information was also verified in this study. Proved insufficient knowledge about glaucoma, the forms of prevention and treatment. This suggests the need for educational activities aimed at disseminating knowledge of glaucoma among patients and the general population, as a way to prevent vision loss.
Glaucoma/epidemiology; Knowledge; Health promotion
