Factors affecting awareness and knowledge of glaucoma among patients presenting to an urban emergency department.
BACKGROUND
Until advanced, glaucoma is asymptomatic. For early diagnosis to occur, patients may need to be aware of it and seek assessment regularly. People who have risk factors for glaucoma may have a greater awareness of the disease.


METHODS
Patients presenting to an urban hospital emergency department were surveyed with a brief questionnaire to assess their knowledge of glaucoma. Data was collected about their gender, age, family history of glaucoma and presence of systemic hypertension, diabetes, Raynaud's phenomenon, migraines and myopia.


RESULTS
Women (Odds ratio 2.3; 95% CI 1.4-3.7; P < 0.01), people who were 40 years or older (Odds ratio 2.2; 95% CI 1.1-4.4; P < 0.05) and those who were aware of a family history of glaucoma (Odds ratio 15.7; CI 5.5-45.3; P < 0.01) knew significantly more about the disease than others. People with other risk factors did not demonstrate significantly greater knowledge despite 89% of all participants having had a previous eye examination.


CONCLUSIONS
This information may be useful to predict which patients may know about glaucoma when they present for an eye examination and who should be targeted in public health campaigns.
Landers
John A
JA
Eye Associates and Save Sight Institute, Sydney University,Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Goldberg
Ivan
I
Graham
Stuart L
SL
D000328:Adult; D001364:Awareness; D004632:Emergency Medical Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D005901:Glaucoma / Q000175:diagnosis*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006786:Hospitals, Urban / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D019359:Knowledge; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires