Dossari Saif K, Althobaiti Ghadi, Baqalaqil Daniyah, Aldokhail Laila, Alnajim Ali, Al Kaluf Sadeem, Al Mubarak Jenan, Almohaimeed Ashjan, Daghreeri Abdulrahman A, Alomayri Abdulaziz, Alabdullah Mousa, Alwosaibei Mohammed
Surgery Department, King Faisal University, Hofuf, SAU.
College of Medicine, Taif University, Taif, SAU.
Cureus. 2024 Nov 6;16(11):e73135. doi: 10.7759/cureus.73135. eCollection 2024 Nov.
Introduction Glaucoma, a leading cause of blindness, often progresses silently, leading to irreversible optic neuropathy. Diabetics are at higher risk of developing glaucoma. In Saudi Arabia, with a high prevalence of diabetes, limited research has focused on glaucoma awareness among diabetics. This study investigates the current status of glaucoma awareness and knowledge among the general and diabetic populations in Saudi Arabia. Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted in March 2024 using a convenience sampling approach. An online questionnaire was distributed via social media and Google Forms, targeting Saudi Arabian residents, both diabetic and non-diabetic. The questionnaire, validated and translated into Arabic, included demographic questions and multiple-choice questions assessing glaucoma knowledge. A pilot study confirmed high internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha=0.840). The sample size was calculated to be 385 participants, ensuring a 95% confidence level and 5% margin of error. Results A total of 518 participants were surveyed, with 52.9% having diabetes. Most participants (74.3%) were unaware of the term "glaucoma," and only 11.8% had been diagnosed with the condition. Awareness was significantly higher among those who had undergone ocular examinations in the past year (64.7%). Knowledge levels varied, with 43.1% showing average knowledge, 30.3% weak knowledge, and 26.6% good knowledge. Significant associations were found between knowledge levels and factors such as diabetes status (p=0.0001), educational level (p=0.021), and sources of information, particularly medical staff (p=0.0001). Conclusion The study highlights a significant gap in glaucoma awareness and knowledge among the Saudi Arabian population, especially among diabetics. Increased educational efforts, particularly through medical staff, are crucial to improve glaucoma awareness and early detection, potentially reducing the burden of this disease. Further research should explore targeted interventions to enhance glaucoma knowledge among high-risk groups.
引言 青光眼是导致失明的主要原因之一，通常悄无声息地发展，导致不可逆转的视神经病变。糖尿病患者患青光眼的风险更高。在糖尿病患病率较高的沙特阿拉伯，针对糖尿病患者青光眼知晓情况的研究有限。本研究调查了沙特阿拉伯普通人群和糖尿病患者中青光眼知晓情况和知识水平的现状。方法 2024年3月采用便利抽样法进行了一项横断面调查。通过社交媒体和谷歌表单分发了一份在线问卷，目标人群为沙特阿拉伯居民，包括糖尿病患者和非糖尿病患者。该问卷经过验证并翻译成阿拉伯语，包括人口统计学问题和评估青光眼知识的多项选择题。一项预试验证实内部一致性较高（克朗巴哈系数=0.840）。计算得出样本量为385名参与者，确保95%的置信水平和5%的误差幅度。结果 共调查了518名参与者，其中52.9%患有糖尿病。大多数参与者（74.3%）不知道“青光眼”这个词，只有11.8%被诊断患有该病。在过去一年接受过眼部检查的人群中，知晓率显著更高（64.7%）。知识水平各不相同，43.1%表现为中等知识水平，30.3%知识水平较差，26.6%知识水平良好。发现知识水平与糖尿病状态（p=0.0001）、教育水平（p=0.021）以及信息来源，特别是医务人员（p=0.0001）等因素之间存在显著关联。结论 该研究凸显了沙特阿拉伯人群，尤其是糖尿病患者在青光眼知晓情况和知识水平方面存在显著差距。加大教育力度，特别是通过医务人员进行教育，对于提高青光眼知晓率和早期发现至关重要，有可能减轻这种疾病的负担。进一步的研究应探索针对性的干预措施，以提高高危人群的青光眼知识水平。
