Department of Community Medicine, Midnapore Medical College, Midnapore, India.
Nepal J Ophthalmol. 2020 Jul;12(24):290-297. doi: 10.3126/nepjoph.v12i2.28426.
Corneal blindness, though treatable, contributes largely to the burden of blindness. With 1.2 million existing cases of corneal blindness in India, the demand for cornea collection is increasing. 69349 corneas were collected in 2018-19 but it is much less than what is needed. Faulty perceptions and unwillingness are two major hurdles against a scenario favourable towards eye donation. The objectives of the study was to assess the perception and willingness towards eye donation and the socio-demographic variables that affect such perception and willingness, in an urban community of West Bengal.
In this cross-sectional study conducted among adult residents of the urban field practice area of Medical College Kolkata, data was collected from randomly selected eligible members, one each from all the available families by interviewing them using a validated pre tested schedule.
Eighty nine (52.3%) among 170 interviewed participants had Secondary level education or higher, 49.4% had outdoor engagement. 128 participants reported ocular morbidity in the family but only 126 had heard about eye donation. 98 (77.8%) of these 126, had favourable perception towards eye donation. Among these 98 participants, 40 were willing to pledge for eye donation. Higher education and outdoor engagement significantly predicted favourable perception, while willingness significantly increased with participants belonging to higher socio-economic class and with higher education.
Compared to favourable perception, willingness of pledging eyes was lesser due to various false notions. Proper education through usage of means of mass communication and stress upon school education is needed to address these hurdles.
角膜盲虽然可治，但仍是失明负担的主要原因。印度目前有 120 万例现患角膜盲病例，因此对角膜采集的需求不断增加。2018-19 年共采集了 69349 枚角膜，但远低于实际需求。错误的观念和不愿意是阻碍眼捐献向有利方向发展的两个主要障碍。本研究的目的是评估在西孟加拉邦一个城市社区中，人们对眼捐献的看法和意愿，以及影响这种看法和意愿的社会人口学变量。
在这项对加尔各答医学院城市实地工作区成年居民进行的横断面研究中，通过使用经过验证的预测试表对随机选择的合格成员进行访谈，从所有可用家庭中各抽取一名成员来收集数据。
在接受采访的 170 名参与者中，有 89 人（52.3%）接受过中等或高等教育，49.4%的人从事户外工作。128 名参与者报告称其家庭中有眼部疾病，但只有 126 人听说过眼捐献。在这 126 人中，有 98 人（77.8%）对眼捐献持赞成态度。在这 98 名参与者中，有 40 人愿意承诺捐献眼睛。较高的教育水平和户外工作显著预测了赞成的态度，而随着参与者属于较高的社会经济阶层和较高的教育水平，意愿显著增加。
与赞成的态度相比，由于各种错误观念，承诺捐献眼睛的意愿较低。需要通过使用大众传播手段进行适当的教育，并强调学校教育，以解决这些障碍。
