Irving Elizabeth L, Sivak Alisa M, Spafford Marlee M
School of Optometry and Vision Science, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada.
Ophthalmic Physiol Opt. 2018 Jul;38(4):422-431. doi: 10.1111/opo.12566. Epub 2018 May 17.
To learn more about the perceptions and attitudes toward eye care of members of the public - in particular, their knowledge of the purpose, components and providers of eye examinations, their ability to self-monitor ocular status and their awareness of major sight threatening eye conditions.
This study used the qualitative research strategy, grounded theory. Participants were recruited via poster and social media. Two researchers, one with optometric knowledge and one without, moderated seven 60- to 90-min, semi-structured focus group discussions, which were audiotaped and transcribed. Participants also completed a short demographic questionnaire. Three researchers employed constant comparative coding strategies to identify common themes within the focus group transcripts. The number of participants represented by identified themes were tracked and themes were listed in order of decreasing frequency.
Focus groups included 25 participants (nine male, 16 female), ranging in age from 18 to 71 years (mean: 41.7). Five themes related to eye care awareness were identified: eye examination purpose, test procedure identification, eye care professional roles, asymptomatic eye disease awareness, and significant eye disease awareness. Perceived eye examination purposes were vision/prescription priority with some eye health knowledge, comprehensive evaluation of visual system, and vision/prescription only. Most participants who responded could correctly identify the use of an eye chart and a phoroptor; fewer were able to do the same for a direct ophthalmoscope and slit lamp biomicroscope. Less than a quarter of participants could accurately identify the roles of all three major eye care providers. Trauma was the most commonly mentioned risk for vision loss, followed by diabetes and infection. Participants' knowledge appeared most often to have been obtained from personal experience rather than as the result of any systematic educational initiative.
This study found notable gaps in knowledge of eye care and sight risks. If these gaps result in fewer eye examinations, they potentially contribute to increased risk of vision loss due to later stage detection. The results provide motivation for further study and development of effective public health education strategies.
进一步了解公众对眼部护理的认知和态度，尤其是他们对眼部检查的目的、组成部分和提供者的了解，自我监测眼部状况的能力，以及对主要致盲性眼部疾病的认识。
本研究采用定性研究策略——扎根理论。通过海报和社交媒体招募参与者。两名研究人员，一名具备验光知识，一名不具备，主持了七场时长60至90分钟的半结构化焦点小组讨论，并进行了录音和转录。参与者还完成了一份简短的人口统计问卷。三名研究人员采用持续比较编码策略，以识别焦点小组记录中的共同主题。追踪由已识别主题所代表的参与者数量，并按出现频率从高到低列出主题。
焦点小组包括了25名参与者（9名男性，16名女性），年龄在18至71岁之间（平均年龄：41.7岁）。确定了与眼部护理意识相关的五个主题：眼部检查目的、检查程序识别、眼部护理专业人员角色、无症状眼病意识和重大眼病意识。人们对眼部检查目的的认知是，优先关注视力/验光配镜并具备一定眼部健康知识、对视觉系统进行全面评估以及仅关注视力/验光配镜。大多数做出回应的参与者能够正确识别视力表和综合验光仪的用途；而能够同样正确识别直接检眼镜和裂隙灯显微镜用途的人较少。不到四分之一的参与者能够准确识别所有三类主要眼部护理提供者的角色。创伤是最常被提及的视力丧失风险因素，其次是糖尿病和感染。参与者的知识似乎大多来自个人经验，而非任何系统性教育活动的结果。
本研究发现人们在眼部护理和视力风险知识方面存在显著差距。如果这些差距导致眼部检查减少，可能会因发现较晚而增加视力丧失的风险。研究结果为进一步研究和制定有效的公共卫生教育策略提供了动力。
